Dutch police arrest three possibly linked to blast that killed six in The Hague

AMSTERDAM - Dutch police have arrested three people following an explosion that killed six people and injured four in an apartment building in The Hague, the police said on Dec 10.

A criminal investigation has been launched into the cause of

the blast on Dec 7,

which caused the apartment building to collapse and destroyed several neighbouring buildings in the residential area in a suburb of The Hague.

The police said the three people arrested late on Dec 9 were possibly connected to the blast, but gave no further details.

Several cars have been confiscated following the explosion. The police said it was unclear whether any of the vehicles was a car witnesses said they saw speeding away from the scene shortly before the explosion.

Rescue teams halted their search for victims on the afternoon of Dec 9, a few hours after a sixth body was found in the rubble.

Gas grid company Stedin told Dutch news agency ANP on Dec 10 that it had no indications that the explosion had been caused by a gas leak. Police have ruled out the possibility that there had been a drugs laboratory in one of the buildings. REUTERS