Authorities in the Netherlands have arrested three suspects in connection with a devastating explosions that rocked an apartment block in The Hague, killing six people and leaving a community in shock.
The blast, which occurred at 06:15 local time (05:15 GMT) on Saturday, demolished five homes in the Tarwekamp area of the city.
Police are exploring “all avenues” that could have led to the incident, with the arrests suggesting a potential criminal motive.
The suspects are being held in restrictive custody, only allowed contact with their lawyers, and are expected to appear in court later this week.
“Further arrests cannot be ruled out,” officials announced.
On Saturday night, we met local people trudging around in the rain between fire trucks and police vans.
The quiet neighbourhood has been shaken by the loss of six people and the uncertainty surrounding the nature of, and possible reason behind, the blast.
Among the victims were three members of the same family – a 45-year-old father, his partner, 41, and their 17-year-old daughter. Their 8-year-old son miraculously survived.
Three other men – aged 31, 44, and 63 – were also killed. Among them was a civil engineer from Greece, who was reportedly “in love with the Netherlands”.
Four others were rescued from the rubble of their former homes.
Several vehicles have been seized – though it’s unclear if any are the car seen speeding away from the scene shortly after the explosion.
Police have received dozens of tip-offs and are appealing for more witnesses and images from pet cameras or dashcams.
Forensic teams are poised to resume their investigation once the crime scene is deemed safe.
The explosion’s impact has extended beyond the immediate casualties.
Four people were hospitalised, including two who had been sleeping in the basement of a bar at the time and were treated for smoke inhalation.
A bridal store next door to the bar was completely destroyed, while another ground-floor bar’s wine stock remarkably remained intact. An artist’s studio was also totally decimated.
Many residents were evacuated and remain in shelters while structural damage is assessed.
