One found alive in Hague explosion rubble; Fourth dead body recovered
Emergency workers rescued someone who was still alive from the rubble of an apartment building collapse on Tarwekamp in The Hague. The announcement by the regional fire service was followed minutes later by confirmation that a fourth dead body was also recovered.
The wounded individual was placed on a stretcher and taken to an ambulance nearly 12 hours after a series of explosions and a fire leveled five of the 40 apartments. It was the first living person rescued from the disaster site since three wounded adults were brought to hospitals soon after the 6:15 a.m. incident.
Emergency workers also rescued one child from the rubble during the initial response. However, the child’s sibling is still unaccounted for, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the incident.
At a press conference in the middle of the afternoon, Mayor Jan van Zanen said it was highly unlikely anybody else would be found alive. He said the rescue effort was becoming a recovery operation.
Van Zanen would not speculate on the total number of victims. He also would not comment on the cause of the explosions.
The municipality of The Hague has confirmed that no residents will be allowed to return to their homes on the block of Tarwekamp affected by several explosions and a fire at an apartment complex on Saturday morning. Officials say the structural damage is too severe to ensure safety, and the entire area remains uninhabitable. Van Zanen issued an emergency order covering the affected neighborhood.
Two friends of a Chinese family residing in one of the destroyed apartments described their growing distress after multiple failed attempts to reach them by phone. “They always pick up. This is a very bad sign,” one friend told reporters.
Friends and relatives of those living in the affected apartments have gathered near the scene, expressing fears about the fate of their loved ones. One woman shared her concern with De Telegraaf, saying, “I can’t get in touch with my sister. I’m afraid something terrible has happened.”
A suspicious vehicle was seen racing away from the scene moments after the explosions took place. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the explosion, which triggered a massive fire that sent thick plumes of smoke into the air.
