Police: Suspicious car raced off shortly after The Hague apartment explosion
A car was seen racing away at a very high rate of speed shortly after an explosion destroyed five apartments at a residential complex in The Hague. The explosion occurred at an apartment building on Tarwekamp, and at least four people were injured and up to 20 were missing after the incident on Saturday morning.
"Shortly after the explosion, around 6:15 a.m., a car was seen speeding away at a very high speed," police stated in an update. Authorities appealed to the public for information that may help identify the vehicle and its driver. "The police would like to get in touch with people who saw this car driving or who may have camera footage.
The announcement was the first indication that investigators have not ruled out the possibility of foul play. The investigation into the explosion is ongoing, but police have highlighted the significance of the vehicle seen fleeing the area. Authorities were urging witnesses and those with camera footage to come forward.
"If you saw or heard anything or have surveillance footage from the area, please upload it using the online tip form," the police added. Witnesses can also contact law enforcement by calling 0800-6070 or, for anonymous tips, dialing 0800-7000. "The police are specifically looking for witnesses who may have seen a car driving at very high speed around 6:15 a.m. near the site of the explosion," officials added.
The explosion caused significant damage to the building. A large fire broke out, leading to the collapse of several apartments. Emergency services, including firefighters, police, paramedics, and specialized search and rescue teams, responded immediately to the scene.
Three adults and one child were transported to area hospitals, while others may still be trapped in the rubble. Rescue teams were working to locate survivors and extinguish the blaze. Technical response specialist team STH and a team from Urban Search and Rescue Nederland arrived at the site with plans to begin their operations once conditions allow.
Police, firefighters, medical personnel, and politicians have been especially concerned with the rising trend of explosives used in business conflicts and the criminal underworld. These sometimes involve explosive fireworks and other incendiary devices, and can be combined with shrapnel and flammable material to intensify the impact.
While explosions are often staged as a form of retribution, they can also be used as part of an extortion plot. The victim in such a plot can find themself forced to vacate their home or shutter their business by order of a local mayor more concerned with public safety than whether the victim has any links to criminality.
Through mid-October, police registered 768 explosions likely due to an attempt to intimidate or harass an individual or rival. During the same period in 2023, police knew of 497 such explosions. A total of 1,017 explosions occurred in the Netherlands over the course of 2023.
Nearly three-fourths taking place in the Randstad region, comprised of the area surrounding Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. In 2021, there were 212 such explosions in all of the Netherlands.
The first person killed in such an explosion happened earlier this year, when a 23-year-old Amsterdam man tried to trigger a blast in The Hague in January. A police report on the explosions distributed in November warned that more fatalities due to explosions were likely.
