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An explosion has hit a three-storey block of flats in The Hague, police say.<\/p>\n
Firefighters rushed to the scene to put out a fire that caused the collapse of several homes in the city’s Tarwekamp area at around 06:15 (05:15 GMT).<\/p>\n
Rescuers are looking for up to 20 people thought to have been there at the time of the blast. Four have been pulled out of the rubble so far.<\/p>\n
The cause of the explosion is not yet clear, but Dutch police said a car drove away “at very high speed” shortly after, and have appealed for witnesses.<\/p>\n
Dutch media reported five flats were destroyed in the explosion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Rescue teams with sniffer dogs have been deployed to sift through the debris, but parts of the site remain too dangerous to access.<\/p>\n
Fourteen-year-old Adam Muller told the AFP news agency the explosion “felt like an earthquake”.<\/p>\n
“I was asleep and suddenly there was this huge bang,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I looked out of the window and just saw flames. It’s a massive shock,” he added.<\/p>\n
National police commissioner in the Netherlands Janny Knol said there was “disbelief and uncertainty” in the community.<\/p>\n
Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen M\u00e1xima said in a statement: “We sympathise with all those who have been personally affected or who fear for the fate of their loved ones.”<\/p>\n
Police are expected to provide an update at 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n