About ten Utrecht residents still unable to return home after last week’s explosion

About ten residents of Utrecht remain unable to return to their homes after an explosion Thursday afternoon damaged multiple buildings in the historic Visscherssteeg, according to Stichting Salvage. On Monday, the organization transferred responsibility for covering residents’ accommodations to insurers. A municipal spokesperson said the number of displaced residents is closer to 20, noting that the exact figure is difficult to determine.

One or more explosions in the area caused extensive damage, and authorities are continuing to investigate what happened. The blast, which occurred around 3:30 p.m., injured four people as several buildings partially collapsed. Many nearby shops also suffered shattered windows, damaged doors, and smoke and glass damage. The municipality provided emergency shelter from Thursday night through Friday, while Salvage arranged and paid for temporary housing for the next working day.

Large sections of the Visscherssteeg were cordoned off following the explosion. While several surrounding streets were reopened Sunday, the city has extended security measures in the core affected area through at least Friday, the municipality said in a live update. Residents whose cars remain in a parking garage near Springweg have been advised to contact the municipality for assistance.

Some residents have since returned home, and parts of the nearby Springweg shopping street have reopened, though several businesses remain closed. Richard den Besten, who runs a manga comic book store on Springweg, told NOS that the explosion shattered the store’s front windows and damaged stained glass.

“From the outside, it looked severe, but inside it’s not as bad,” he said. “There is glass everywhere, but we were able to reopen today.” Den Besten said he spent much of the day cleaning up and noted that while many visitors came to see the damage, others returned as customers.