One person died and three others were injured after explosions and a fire hit a three-story apartment block in the Dutch city of The Hague on Saturday, the mayor of the city said.
Jan van Zanen told a news conference that missing people were believed to be buried under debris, according to Reuters, adding that “the chance that living people will be found is very small.”
Van Zanen said that there had been a small explosion, followed by a larger explosion.
The cause of the blasts is not yet clear, but Dutch authorities said police have called on people who had seen a car that sped away shortly after.
The explosions, which occurred in the city’s Tarwekamp area just three miles from the city center, destroyed several apartments and ignited a fire that led to the collapse of part of the building.
Four people were pulled from the rubble and taken to a hospital, the Hague fire department said earlier in a statement as translated by Reuters.
Authorities have deployed a specialized urban search-and-rescue team to the scene, along with sniffer dogs, which said rescuers are still searching for up to 20 others believed to have been inside at the time of the blast, adding that parts of the site remain too dangerous to access.
Dutch broadcaster NOS interviewed a neighbor who reported hearing a child calling for help as the building burned.
In a post on X, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he was "shocked" by images of the disaster and offered assistance to local authorities.
The Dutch royal family said in a statement that “We sympathize with all those who have been personally affected or who fear for the fate of their loved ones.”
The Dutch police are expected to provide an update later on Saturday.
The Hague is home to several major international courts, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
