Family members remove body from rubble after Rotterdam explosion; Two still missing

Family members have recovered a body from the rubble at the apartment building on Schammenkamp in Rotterdam-Zuid that was ravaged by an explosion. In consultation with the police, it was decided to allow the relatives to immediately recover the body, the police confirmed. Family members said it concerns Kamran Khan, a 43-year-old father of three.

A powerful explosion rocked the building on Monday night, which was followed by a fierce fire. Two people are still missing. Two others were injured, one seriously. Dozens of homes were severely damaged. Efforts to find those still missing were expected to continue Wednesday night and Thursday morning, even as the demolition of the building got underway.

De familie heeft onder toezicht van de politie het lichaam van één van de slachtoffers aan de Schammenkamp in Rotterdam mogen bergen. In een speciaal neergezette witte tent hebben de directe familieleden afscheid genomen. pic.twitter.com/Y0hcTIKkYF

— Joey Bremer (@010fotograaf) January 31, 2024

The unusual situation arose on Wednesday afternoon in which the body was not retrieved by emergency workers, though police officers and forensic investigators stood watch among the rubble. The man's remains were found in a location that was deemed too dangerous by the emergency services workers at the scene due to a risk of collapse. The emergency workers did give instructions to the family from a safe place. The family had started looking for the body on their own initiative.

The identity of the victim has not yet been announced officially, but the man's younger brother identified him to ANP as Kamran Khan. The brother and others searched the same place on Wednesday morning, when they found a body part.

The recovery took place after two people involved then climbed over the fence some time earlier and started looking for Khan's remains under the rubble themselves. Six family members were allowed to enter the area, lift the body, and bring it to the hearse.

Familieleden van de drie vermisten mannen hebben een lichaam gevonden. Dit gebeurde nadat ze over het hek waren geklommen. Ze hebben het lichaam uit het puin gehaald. De familieleden staan in grote getalen bij het hek in afwachting van de lijkwagen. pic.twitter.com/WJRYAcIesu

— Joey Bremer (@010fotograaf) January 31, 2024

The police said it was "understandable" that the family started searching themselves, even though the situation was "dangerous." The police referred to the matter as being "exceptionally complex" with "complicated considerations and decisions."

The police offered their condolences to the family of those involved. They said they are now focusing on finding "the other missing people, and the continuing investigation into the cause of the explosion."

The police planned to resume the process of demolishing the building on Wednesday evening and into the overnight hours, a police spokesperson said on Wednesday. The demolition was paused after the body was found.

The intention is for the collapsed structure to be taken apart "piece by piece," the spokesperson said. It was not clear how long that process will take. The spokesperson could not offer more details about the dismantling of the building.

An estimated one hundred bystanders were at the scene. Some reacted emotionally to the events as they unfolded.