Video: Four wounded in explosions, fire in Utrecht city center; Flames spreading
Firefighters in Utrecht were facing a difficult challenge reaching the buildings most affected by "one or several explosions" and a fire in the city center's Mariaplaats neighborhood, according to the Veiligheidsregio Utrecht, the regional emergency services office. At least four people were injured in the incident, which started just before 3:30 p.m. There conditions have not been reported. "Everything is now focused on checking if there are people under the rubble," said Mayor Sharon Dijksma
Authorities confirmed at least one explosion took place, but have not been able to determine the cause of the blasts. There were unconfirmed reports of a smell of natural gas in the area. It was not yet clear whether buildings have partially collapsed. At least one explosion took place on the Visscherssteeg, spreading a great deal of debris along the street, which is so narrow it is more like an alleyway.
Still two hours after the incident, fire department workers were still trying to tackle the blaze from the street, a spokesperson for Veiligheidsregio Utrecht told NL Times. "We are still trying to get a clear picture of the extent of the damage," she said. "Right now, we're doing our best."
"We heard a huge bang. The garage was shaking violently. We ran outside and saw people everywhere on the street, bloody, shopfronts damaged, windows blown out," one witness told RTV Utrecht. He described seeing people with towels pressed to their foreheads and covered in blood, while debris was scattered “throughout the city.”
Speaking about the blast, he added, “I’m actually trembling. I suspect a gas explosion, but we’ll have to wait for the official confirmation.” Rubble, portions of building facades, and roof tiling blown off in the explosions landed on neighboring streets.
"We know the location, but exactly how many buildings and which ones are damaged is not entirely clear at this time," said Mayor Dijksma to media outlets at the scene. She was in the process of meeting with the head of the Veiligheidsregio when the first explosion happened.
The blasts were powerful enough to also cause enormous damage in the neighborhood, and not just on the Visscherssteeg. Some of the small homes and storefronts have a history dating back to the 15th century. The municipality is deploying a drone, and other tools to assist in getting a clear overview of the scene.
Much of the city center has been cordoned off, traffic is being diverted away from the area, and emergency crews are trying to assist people trying to vacate a parking garage. The structure is close to the scene, but was not affected.
