Mysterious 18-meter secret tunnel found under Utrecht homes
Police in Utrecht made an unusual discovery on Tuesday when they discovered a secret tunnel running below several homes along the J.P. Coenstraat. Investigators think the 18-meter-long hidden corridor was only recently created, but residents say they have no idea how or when it was constructed.
De Dragon Runner van de EOD kruipt zometeen het gangenstelsel onder de J.P. Coenstraat door. pic.twitter.com/RUPOJeytlz
— John Maes (@johnmaes) April 2, 2019
Authorities arrived on the street at about 10 a.m. They were responding to multiple reports of an inexplicable scent of clay and smoke, police said in a statement.
Officers gained entrance to a vacant home on the block and found the tunnel via a whole in the building's crawlspace. If the corridor was built of late, it could explain the fresh smell of clay, a police spokesperson told broadcaster NOS.
Medewerkers van de Explosieven Opruimings Dienst gaan nu een ander pand binnen op de JP Coenstraat. Mogelijk is dat het einde van de tunnel pic.twitter.com/Zsa6FKQVg0
— Nils de Kruijff (@nilsdekruijff) April 2, 2019
A team of explosives disposal experts were called in as a precaution, and sent a robotic vehicle into the passageway after standing water was pumped out of the space.
Police on Tuesday said the tunnel appeared to be a dead end with only the one entry and exit point via the vacant home. Residents did file reports of damage related to the tunnel, which investigators will examine further, police said.
There were no arrests made as no evidence of wrongdoing was immediately uncovered.
Het gangenstel in de Utrecht JP Coenstraat loopt mogelijk onder vijf huizen door. De brandweer pompt de kruipruimte leeg. https://t.co/5fDpOIIe96 pic.twitter.com/5yiqDsG1x2
— RTV Utrecht (@rtvutrecht) April 2, 2019
De robot is klaar met onderzoek in het gangenstelsel onder woningen in de Utrechtse J.P. Coenstraat https://t.co/xTiI76GKjf pic.twitter.com/VuObd0fVDJ
— RTV Utrecht (@rtvutrecht) April 2, 2019
Brandweer met twee wagens ter plekke. Brandslang wordt uitgerold. Veel vragen bij passanten en bewoners van J.P. Coenstraat. pic.twitter.com/zUhtRAW2Lj
— John Maes (@johnmaes) April 2, 2019