World

Explosion causes injuries and damages apartments in The Hague

The blast hit apartment blocks in Mariahoeve in The Hague.

The blast took place at an apartment block in The Hague (AP)
The blast took place at an apartment block in The Hague (AP) (Phil Nijhuis/AP)
By AP Reporters

An explosion has rocked an area of The Hague, destroying several apartments and injuring multiple people, according to authorities.

The cause of the disaster early on Saturday in Mariahoeve is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people have been rescued from the rubble and taken to hospital, but could not say how many may still be under the rubble.

A line of ambulances could be seen waiting nearby in anticipation of more victims. The spokesperson for the local hospital said that they were on stand-by to deal with injuries.

It is unclear how many were injured, and how many are still in the rubble (AP)
It is unclear how many were injured, and how many are still in the rubble (AP) (Phil Nijhuis/AP)

Residents of the north-eastern area of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. One woman told local media that she thought an earthquake had happened.

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.