Dutch authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with devastating explosions that rocked an apartment block in The Hague, killing six people and leaving residents in shock.
A criminal investigation has been launched into Saturday’s blast, which caused an apartment building to collapse and destroyed several neighbouring buildings in a residential area on the outskirts of The Hague.
Police said the three people arrested on Monday may be linked to the incident, but gave no details.
“Several vehicles were confiscated after the explosion. Police said it was not yet clear if among those cars was the vehicle that witnesses said was speeding away from the scene shortly before the explosion,” the release said.
Rescuers called off the search for victims on Monday afternoon hours after a sixth body was found under the rubble.
Gas company Stedin told Dutch news agency ANP that it had no indication that the explosion was caused by a gas leak. Police ruled out the possibility that one of the buildings housed a drug laboratory.
Royal family says “Our thoughts are with the victims”
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and King Willem-Alexander visited the site of the tragic explosion of a residential building in The Hague on Monday. Maxima, 53, dressed in a beige trench coat, scarf and simple jeans, swapping her usual shoes for white trainers, toured the scene with her husband and a team of firefighters and other officials. Her hair was neatly styled and her make-up, as usual, flawless.
The Queen listened attentively to King Willem-Alexander as he spoke to the press. NL Times reported that the king was “in complete shock” after the tragedy. “It doesn’t settle in my mind. You follow what is happening every minute, but when you see the scene of the explosion, the destruction, all these people … it throws me into shivers,” he said. The Dutch royal couple also told the media, “Our thoughts are with the victims.”
The king and queen heard reports from police and firefighters and then spoke to surviving residents and relatives of the victims. By Monday morning, a city fundraising drive to support the victims had already raised 340,000 euros.
