Several hurt in Rotterdam apartment building explosion; NL-Alert sent for fire, smoke

Several people were injured on Monday evening by an explosion and subsequent fire in an apartment complex on Schammenkamp in Rotterdam Zuid, a spokesperson for the Rotterdam-Rijnmond regional emergency services office said. He could not provide information about the nature or severity of the injuries. The office distributed an emergency bulletin warning people about the heavy amount of smoke. Additionally, one person was shot on the street in Rotterdam Zuid earlier in the evening.

The fire was caused by an explosion in a car under the residential complex just before 8:25 p.m. The force of the explosion blew the car out of the garage and onto the street. At least one person was hospitalized with unknown injuries, the emergency services office said.

The explosion could be heard miles away. Dozens of windows were blown out of homes, and glass was shattered in many buildings near the fire.

Even three hours after the incident, the fire department was still struggling to get control over the situation. "The fire is in the roof and the fire brigade cannot reach it," the emergency services office said. "To prevent the fire from spreading to the supermarket on the other side, a building in between must be demolished."

Firefighters said they expected they would not be able to completely extinguish the fire until early Tuesday morning. Residents unable to enter their homes were brought to a recreational sports facility on Brammertstraat. "As a precaution, an adjacent fireworks storage facility was evacuated," the emergency services office added.

Massive emergency response to the Rotterdam explosion

The reported explosion brought an immediate response from firefighters, paramedics, and police, with a trauma team quickly mobilized and dispatched by helicopter. The alarm was rapidly escalated to a Grip 1 regional emergency, which calls for all responding personnel to be organized under a single commander. More personnel was sent to the scene as the fire intensified.

The fire brigade was still extinguishing the fire 90 minutes later. The residents of the apartment complex were on the street.

The alarm was raised again to a Grip 2 at 10:13 p.m. to bring more personnel to the scene to help relieve their colleagues, and provide more support in the hours to come. The Grip 2 regional emergency protocol is typically used for situations that affect a wider area than the immediate vicinity of the incident. It calls for the establishment of a regional operations post to coordinate more resources to the commander and those at the scene.

The regional crisis team was set up at the World Port Center in Rotterdam. They were also focusing on "arranging shelter for the residents," the emergency services office said.

NL-Alert warning of smoke from the Rotterdam explosion

The emergency services office distributed an NL-Alert warning residents about the development of smoke which could adversely affect people's health. The warning area included parts of Zuiderpark, the western portion of Feijenoord, Kralingen-Crooswijk and continuing further north.

"The message is to stay away from smoke, close windows and doors and turn off ventilation," the emergency services office said.

One person shot and wounded not far from the explosion in Rotterdam

Separately, one person in Rotterdam Zuid was found shot in the street. That case remained under investigation after the incident at 6:50 p.m. The gunshot was reported from Pretorialaan, fewer than four kilometers from where the explosion took place 95 minutes later.

"The victim was found with gunshot wounds on the Dordtselaan and taken to the hospital," police said.

"Two suspects in dark clothing fled the scene." There were no arrests announced in the hours after the shooting.