An explosion and fire rocked a neighbourhood in the Dutch city of The Hague early Saturday, destroying several flats and injuring multiple people, according to authorities.
The cause of the disaster is unclear, but police said they are looking for a car seen leaving the scene.
Emergency authorities said four people have been rescued from the rubble and taken to hospital, but could not say how many people may still be trapped. Local media reported that one of those hospitalised was a child.
A line of ambulances could be seen waiting nearby in anticipation of more victims. A spokesperson for the local hospital said they were on standby to deal with injuries.
Residents of the northeastern neighbourhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. One woman told local media that she thought an earthquake had occurred.
Dutch authorities deployed a specialised urban search and rescue team to the scene, with four dogs trained to find victims. The team was previously used during the devastating earthquake in Turkey in 2023.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof said in a statement he was shocked by the images of the disaster. "My thoughts go out to the victims, all other people involved and the emergency services who are now working on the scene," he said.
The Dutch royal family expressed similar sentiments. "Our thoughts are with those affected in The Hague after the explosion and fire this morning," including those "who are afraid of the fate of their loved ones," King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima said in a statement.
