Explosion causes large fire in Dutch town of Utrecht, four injured
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Firefighters working to extinguish a large fire at a residential house in Visscherssteeg, Utrecht, on Jan 15.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
AMSTERDAM - Several people were injured after a major blast caused a fire in a building in the centre of Utrecht, one of the Netherlands’ largest cities, on the afternoon of Jan 15.
“Several buildings collapsed after the explosion. Four people were injured. They were taken to the emergency hospital... for treatment,” the local authorities said on their website.
The fire was still raging on the evening of Jan 15.
It was unclear if there were still people inside the impacted building, as it was not safe for firemen to enter it.
“We are not sure whether there are still people trapped under the rubble, which is definitely there... the police are working hard on the investigation,” said Utrecht mayor Sharon Dijksma.
Local authorities said there was “extensive damage” in this densely populated area of the town, adding the cause of the explosion was still unknown.
Residents who had to leave their homes for safety reasons have been accommodated in a nearby hotel. REUTERS
