Overview
- The afternoon blast near Visscherssteeg ignited a large fire and caused extensive damage in Utrecht’s historic center.
- At least four people were taken to hospital, with emergency teams treating additional victims at the scene.
- Multiple buildings collapsed or were left too unstable to enter, forcing exterior firefighting and delaying internal searches.
- Rescuers are checking for people possibly trapped under rubble as helicopters, evacuations, the Red Cross, and a specialized search team support operations.
- The cause remains unknown under police and fire investigation, the public was told to avoid the area, and a local report cited an unconfirmed warning about potential further explosions.