A frantic search for survivors has begun after a huge explosion ripped through a block of flats in the Netherlands.
Residents of Mariahoeve neighbourhood in The Hague said they heard a huge bang and screams before dawn.
Cops are now hunting for a car after one drove away “at very high speed” shortly after and have appealed for witnesses. Rescuers are now looking for up to 20 people thought to have been in the block at the time of the blast.
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One woman told local media she thought there had been an earthquake.
Part of one apartment complex collapsed and a fire broke out, Sky News reports.
Four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to hospital, officials said, adding others could still be trapped.
One person told broadcaster NOS they heard a child calling for help as the building burned.
Pictures from the scene were shared on social media showing the scale of the horror.
Several ambulances could be seen waiting nearby in anticipation of more victims.
A spokesperson for the local hospital said they were on standby to deal with injuries.
Meanwhile, Dutch authorities have deployed a specialised urban search and rescue team to the scene, along with four dogs trained to find victims.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he was shocked by images of the disaster and had offered assistance to local authorities.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima also spoke about the incident, saying in a statement: “Our thoughts are with those affected in The Hague after the explosion and fire this morning,’’ including those “who are afraid of the fate of their loved ones”.
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