At least four people were injured after a large fire and explosions hit a residential building in the Dutch city of Utrecht, authorities said.
The incident happened near Visscherssteeg, in a densly populated centre of the fourth-largest city in the Netherlands, in a narrow alley in a busy central area around 3:30 p.m. local time (1430 GMT), while the owners of the house were out. Local media report extensive damage to surrounding buildings.
Local authorities said it was a gas leak that triggered a powerful explosion that destroyed several houses.
Utrecht Mayor Sharon Dijksma told reporters that none of the injuries were life‑threatening.
“The damage is immense, several buildings have collapsed,” she said.
Utrecht’s mayor told public broadcaster NOS that it is possible more people are still trapped under the rubble. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Residents were told to evacuate, and members of the public had been advised to stay away from the area.
The local fire department said crews could not enter the building because of the risk of collapse.
Emergency crews were continuing to search the rubble as a precaution, but there were no reports of missing persons, Dijksma added.
It took firefighters around six hours to get the fire under control.
Dijksma said it was unknown what had caused the gas leak, but added there were no suspicions of foul play.
The Utrecht Safety Region described the incident as a “gigantic explosion”. Emergency services received multiple reports of explosions in the afternoon, with nearby streets cordoned off as firefighters battled the flames.
The fire later spread to a nearby bakery, according to local reports. A temporary emergency hospital has been set up in the city centre, usually reserved for incidents involving a large number of casualties.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes, with reports of a powerful blast, shattered windows and damage to nearby buildings.
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