Explosion in Eindhoven home possibly caused by rocket launcher

The explosion that took place in an Eindhoven apartment on Thursday evening may have been caused by a small model rocket launcher. The police found no other weapons or explosives in the home on Hefveld in the east side of the city.

There were three people in the home when the explosion occurred, including the 57-year-old man and 53-year-old woman who reside there. A 62-year-old fellow Eindhoven man was also present at the time.

They were injured in the explosion. Both men were arrested. An investigation is still ongoing as to why such a weapon may have been in the home. It also is not clear what the intent was for possessing the weapon.

The explosion caused considerable damage to the home, as well as the neighboring home. The police also investigated the home next door. The explosion was so violent that the neighbors also had to leave for the time being.

Separately, a raid on a Volendam property earlier this week turned up 35 mortar bombs in a commercial property on an industrial estate, the Edam-Volendam municipality said. These are explosives that are “defined as heavy fireworks that may not be purchased by consumers.”

These types of explosives have also been used regularly in the past in deliberate explosions, such as those used to target buildings in extortion and intimidation campaigns. Two full laughing gas cylinders were also found in the building, which is “a violation of the Opium Act,” according to the municipality.

A total of 45 buildings were checked last Wednesday for activities such as illegal occupation and prostitution. “With this check, we as a municipality want to show that undermining activities are not tolerated,” said the municipality, which also reported that the situation in the vast majority of the buildings was “completely in order.”