By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (Worthy News) – At least five people died, and four others were injured in explosions rocking a block of flats in the Dutch city of The Hague, and local authorities did not rule out a deliberate attack.
Firefighters and special rescue teams with dogs rushed to the burning three-story building in the Tarwekamp area following the blasts that caused the collapse of several homes.
Amid a frantic search for survivors, Dutch police said a car drove away “at very high speed” shortly after the explosions and appealed for witnesses.
The Hague’s Mayor, Jan van Zanen, said the number of people still missing is unknown.
Van Zanen, who visited the scene, said the chance of survivors being pulled from the rubble was slim and urged residents to prepare for a “worst-case scenario.”
It was thought up to 20 people may have been in the flats at the time of the blast, but the mayor refused to confirm those figures.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima expressed their sorrow in a statement: “We sympathize with all those who have been personally affected or who fear for the fate of their loved ones.”
PULLING BODIES
The Dutch fire service said five bodies had been pulled from the rubble. Four others were hospitalized – one of whom had since died, it said.
It added that another person was treated by the ambulance service before being taken to a shelter, bringing the total number of victims to 10.
Witnesses said at least five flats were destroyed in the explosion.
Survivors appeared in shock at what they saw. Fourteen-year-old Adam Muller said the explosion “felt like an earthquake.”
“I was asleep, and suddenly, there were these huge bangs. I looked out of the window and just saw flames. It’s a massive shock,” he added.
The national police commissioner in the Netherlands, Janny Knol, shared those sentiments: “There is disbelief and uncertainty in the community.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
A Christian pastor detained in Nicaragua since July 2025 has been released from prison but placed under house arrest along with five other Christian believers, Worthy News established on Thursday.
An injured Christian pastor in eastern India says recalling Bible verses gave him strength to survive hours of brutal abuse by a Hindu mob that accused him of converting Hindus to Christianity.
U.S. forces carried out five sets of precision strikes against Islamic State targets across Syria between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2, the U.S. military’s U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday.
U.S. forces carried out five sets of precision strikes against Islamic State targets across Syria between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2, the U.S. military’s U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Feb. 5 that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 314 prisoners, marking the first such swap in five months and the most tangible outcome yet from U.S.-brokered talks held in Abu Dhabi. The exchange followed multiple days of trilateral negotiations involving delegations from Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow.
The Supreme Court of the United States on Wednesday declined to take up a legal challenge to California’s newly drawn congressional map, allowing the state to proceed with district lines that effectively eliminate five Republican-held U.S. House seats.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has entered negotiations with the United States because it fears potential military action, as both sides prepare for high-stakes talks expected to take place in Oman. Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Trump said Tehran “doesn’t want us to hit them,” adding that a U.S. naval fleet is in the region as pressure increases.