At least 1 trapped, 2 rescued in house collapse; Gas explosion responsible
A freestanding house on Hoefsmid in Oldenzaal collapsed on Monday morning, the Twente fire department said on Twitter. First responders rescued two people from the rubble. Rescue workers are working on freeing another person, the fire brigade said.
A spokesperson for Security Region Twente told NU.nl that emergency services have contact with the trapped person. They are conscious and able to communicate with the rescue workers. The spokesperson said that more people may be trapped. Witnesses told RTV Oost that the victims are a family - father, mother, and daughter - from the rubble. Their condition is unclear.
A gas explosion, caused by work in the area, was behind the collapse, the fire department confirmed. Photos from the scene show that nothing is left of the house's walls. Its roof is on the ground.
The fire brigade first responded to the scene in large numbers at 9:47 a.m. The authorities escalated the situation to GRIP 3 at 10:13 a.m. Three trauma helicopters have since been dispatched. The fire department also called in the help of Specialized Technical Assistance teams from the security regions Gelderland-Zuid and IJsselland. These teams specialize in finding victims in collapsed buildings, among other things.
A Grip 3 emergency response scenario puts the mayor of the relevant municipality in charge of an incident that may have serious consequences for the local populace. They become the point person for communication with the public and are responsible for decision-making with the support of policy advisors and emergency services leadership.
