Driver whose car exploded on Dam Square dies from injuries; Police suspect suicide

The 50-year-old man who triggered a car explosion on Dam Square in Amsterdam, setting himself on fire in the process, died from his injuries on Tuesday evening, police confirmed to several media outlets the following morning. Police believe the Noord-Holland man's motive was suicide, and are no longer running a criminal investigation into the incident.

Video from the scene showed the man driving his car northbound on Damrak before swerving right and heading towards the National Monument at about 2 p.m. on April 3. An explosion then occurred in the vehicle's cabin front of a large crowd gathered in the sun on an otherwise ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

With fire sweeping through the vehicle, the 50-year-old driver rolled out of the car engulfed in flames. Police officers raced to the scene, and appeared to shout orders at the man even as he was still on fire. Eventually, one police officer used an extinguisher to put out the flames, and the vehicle fire was also tackled.

The man was either not conscious or was incoherent when he was taken to the hospital by police. He was in custody under suspicion of arson at the time. He was initially reported in critical condition with severe injuries.

The incident resulted in several loud explosions, which sent most of the people on Dam Square running. "I felt the ground shaking. I was very shocked and felt fear and sadness," a local bar owner told Hart van Nederland.

No other people were injured during the incident, even though hundreds of people were gathered near the National Monument when the man set the car alight. Dam Square was largely closed to visitors and traffic for over two hours after the incident.

This was the second incident to happen near Dam Square in a week after a Ukrainian man had stabbed five people in the area near the Dam.

His surviving family members have been notified of the death, and the status of the case.