Three arrested in investigation into explosion at Hague apartment building that killed 6
Three men were arrested late Monday night in connection with the explosions and fire at an apartment building on Tarwekamp in The Hague. The incident led to the partial collapse of five residences and the shops below, leaving six people dead and four others hurt.
The three suspects surfaced as part of a major investigation into the cause of the explosions, and the report that a vehicle drove off rapidly moments after. “In that investigation, the three people emerged as possible parties involved in the explosion. The three were arrested and several cars were seized,” police said.
“Further investigation is required to determine whether one of the cars is also the car that drove away from the area of the Tarwekamp at high speed after the explosion,” police continued. It was not immediately clear if this was also connected to a vehicle found set on fire a short distance from Tarwekamp.
They were arrested shortly before midnight for questioning, police said. They will remain in restricted custody, meaning they will only be allowed to have contact with their attorney, and that police and prosecutors will release only limited details to protect the investigation.
More arrests are possible, police said, and dozens of tips have been provided to investigators. The arrests took place a few hours after police identified the remains of the last two victims pulled from the rubble. Mayor Jan van Zanen of The Hague said the "good news" was the result of "excellent detective work at a complicated location."
The explosions happened at around 6:15 a.m. on Saturday. Firefighters spent hours trying to fight back the flames as the building collapsed. They rescued four people during the initial response, and a fifth wounded victim around 12 hours after the explosions occurred.
From the end of Saturday afternoon through early Monday morning, the bodies of six people were recovered, including two parents and their 17-year-old daughter. The girl's 8-year-old brother survived. Family members identified another victim as Vikel Kamperai, a 44-year-old civil engineer from Greece who leaves behind his wife and their three young children, a 7-month-old boy, a 6-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy.
A woman who spent 12 hours under the rubble was hospitalized in serious, but stable condition. She is a volunteer at the local foundation that ended up providing shelter and support to the residents affected by the blast, the foundation confirmed on Sunday.
Two other wounded were sleeping in the basement of a bar impacted by the blast. The bartender and regular customer were treated for smoke inhalation, but otherwise unharmed.
"For those directly affected and their relatives, it is of great importance that there is clarity about the cause quickly, and the arrest of these suspects is essential to this. This also gives peace of mind to local residents," Van Zanen wrote in a statement.
