At least five killed after explosion rips through apartment in Dutch city The Hague

At least five people have been killed after an explosion destroyed an apartment block in the western Dutch coastal city of The Hague.

Emergency services said four people have been rescued from the rubble and taken to hospital but it’s unclear how many people may still be trapped.

Mayor Jan van Zanen said he is considering the worst-case scenario and that the search and rescue operation has ended and work is now focussed on salvage.

"It is not known how many people are still under the rubble. But the reality is that they have only a slim chance of survival," he said at a press conference.

"The investigation into the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire started immediately. Detectives are on site to secure possible evidence. The police have now also called on eyewitnesses to come forward."

Investigators say the cause of the explosion is unknown but police are looking for a car seen driving away from the scene at speed just after the blast.

Authorities also said that five apartments were destroyed in the explosion, while 40 neighbouring apartments have been evacuated.

A specialised urban search and rescue team has been deployed to the scene, with four dogs trained to find victims.

The same team was previously used in Türkiye after devastating twin earthquakes that struck the south in early 2023, killing at least 59,000 people.

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.