Gas leak evacuation in Horst ends with man found dead in home

A gas leak in the Limburg town of Horst on Saturday evening prompted a large-scale emergency response and forced the evacuation of 16 residents before police discovered a deceased man inside the affected home, NOS reports.

Authorities responded to reports of a gas smell at a residence on Hertog Arnoldlaan late Saturday afternoon. Emergency crews, including police, firefighters, and hazardous materials specialists, established a safety perimeter due to the risk of an explosion. According to police, there was reason to believe someone had deliberately opened a gas valve inside the home.

Nearby streets and the provincial N556 road were closed as a precaution, and residents of neighboring homes were evacuated and taken to the local town hall for shelter.

Around 10:30 p.m., following reconnaissance by a drone and a robodog, officers from the Special Intervention Service (Dienst Speciale Interventies, DSI), the Dutch national special intervention unit, entered the home. Inside, they found the resident deceased.

The cause of death was not disclosed. “Out of respect for the victim’s family, we are not sharing further details,” police said in a statement.