Devastating explosion in The Hague: One dead, three hospitalised

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Police looking for possible getaway car Specialist teams called in Mayor on the Ground Rapid response from firefighters What Really Happened?

Fireman against an inferno.

Credit: Shutterstock, VanderWolf Images

A devastating explosion in The Hague’s Mariahoeve neighbourhood left a gaping hole where a three-storey apartment block once stood, with one person killed nd three more people hospitalised, including a child. Rescue teams are searching for more people, and police are searching for a possible getaway car.

The Saturday morning blast, December 7, jolted residents awake, with some describing the noise as “an earthquake.” One shaken neighbour told Dutch media, “The windows rattled, and I thought the whole building was coming down.”

Panic swept the streets as the explosion tore through five apartments, forcing the evacuation of 40 homes.

Police looking for possible getaway car

Authorities are still in the dark about what caused the explosion, but suspicions are mounting. Dutch police have confirmed they’re hunting for a car seen speeding away from the scene just moments after the blast.

Emergency services launched an all-out rescue operation. Firefighters and medics fought through choking smoke and crumbling debris to save lives. So far, four people, including a child, have been pulled from the wreckage, but dozens could still be trapped beneath the rubble. Ambulances lined the streets, with a local hospital declaring itself on high alert for more casualties.

Residents nearby were warned to stay inside as toxic smoke billowed into the air. Authorities urged everyone to shut windows and doors and switch off ventilation systems, fearing health risks from the toxic fumes.

Specialist teams called in

A crack search-and-rescue unit and their sniffer dogs have been deployed to the site. This elite squad, who gained acclaim during Turkey’s 2023 earthquake response, are combing through the wreckage in a desperate bid to find survivors.

Mayor on the Ground

The Hague’s mayor, Jan van Zanen, arrived at the scene, taking charge alongside firefighters in what the city’s fire brigade called a “major operation.”

Photos captured the chaos – one firefighter was seen perched on a nearby rooftop, surveying the destruction below.

Rapid response from firefighters

Early footage showed firefighters smashing through doors in a frantic search for survivors. In one gut-wrenching scene, a stretcher was rushed to an ambulance, carrying an injured victim to safety.

As rescuers push on into the night, the neighbourhood waits in dread for updates – clinging to hope amidst the devastation.