16-year-old boy dies after fatal explosion in Barendrecht

A 16-year-old boy who was seriously injured on Friday afternoon in an explosion in a house in Barendrecht near Rotterdam died later that evening.

It is still unclear what exactly happened. The police are still investigating, as regional broadcaster Rijnmond reported about the fatal accident.

The teenager, who himself came from neighboring Heerjansdam, was on Friday afternoon with four other boys in Barendrecht. Around 4:45 p.m., something exploded close to his face. The emergency services were quick and took the seriously injured boy to the hospital.

As part of the investigation, the police arrested the four other boys (between 15 and 20 years old). They were released later in the evening but must remain available for investigation.

A youth center in Heerjansdam will be open on Saturday afternoon for young people who want to seek support from each other, reports a youth worker.