Rescuers search for victims after explosion at Dutch apartment block that killed at least 5

THE HAGUE: Emergency services on Sunday searched for a second day through the debris of an apartment block that was destroyed by an explosion and fire, killing at least five people, but held out little hope of finding any more survivors. The cause of the Saturday morning disaster was unclear. Mayor Jan van Zanen said investigators were looking into "all possibilities". Police said they are looking for a car seen leaving the scene in case that helps with the investigation.

The fire service said five bodies were found, and five injured people were rescued.

The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, given that the "slim chance of survival" under what's left of the apartments. However, one person was rescued alive many hours after the explosion.

Residents of the northeastern neighbourhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. One woman told local media that she thought an earthquake had happened.

Dutch authorities deployed a specialised urban search and rescue team to the scene, with four dogs trained to find victims. The team was previously used during the devastating earthquake in Turkey in 2023.

Soon after the explosion, a line of ambulances could be seen waiting nearby in anticipation of more victims. The spokesperson for the local hospital said that they were on standby to deal with injuries.

The mayor called it "an extremely heavy day".

"I had expected a different Saturday," van Zanen told a news conference.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof said in a statement he was shocked by the images of the disaster. "My thoughts go out to the victims, all other people involved and the emergency services who are now working on the scene," he said.

The Dutch royal family expressed similar sentiments. "Our thoughts are with those affected in The Hague after the explosion and fire this morning," including those "who are afraid of the fate of their loved ones," King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima said in a statement.