Dutch man witnessed New York bombing

An explosion rocked New York city on Saturday night. 29 people were injured, but no one was killed. Dutch man Ger van der Hoeve (53) witnessed the bombing from nearby. "I'm still shaking. It really isn't something fun to experience", he said to Dutch newspaper AD.

The American authorities believe the bombing, which happened around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday local time, was a terrorist attack. Though no terrorist group claimed the attack as yet.

At that time Van der Hoeve, who is visiting New York on holiday, and a friend were leaving the Cinepolis movie theater in Chelsea and started walking home. Not much later, an explosion went off across the street, about 15 meters away. The force of the explosion sent Van der Hoeve and his friend falling to the ground. Windows were blown out and the ground was littered in glass, he told the newspaper.

"There was an enormous transfer of power. That pressure on your body. It is so much energy that is released. Then you here people screaming and I actually knew immediately: this is wrong. Go time!" Van der Hoeve said. Within minutes emergency services were at the scene, sending unhurt people away. "We ere really chased away by the police. Everyone had to leave as soon as possible."

"It is so unreal. It's like it happened to someone else. I was really there, but I feel like I watched it happen to someone else."