Powerful explosion in Utrecht centre destroys buildings, injures four

A powerful blast ripped through Visscherssteeg in Utrecht’s historic city centre just before 15:30 on Thursday, collapsing multiple buildings, sparking a large fire and leaving at least four people injured, authorities said. Emergency services continued clearing unstable wreckage on Friday morning while searching for anyone who might remain trapped beneath the rubble.

Witnesses described a scene of sudden devastation. One said "the door flew open" when the explosion hit; another, Margot Schroevers, said, "I knew right away that this was bad. The ground was shaking." Photographs and accounts from the scene showed plumes of smoke over the tightly packed medieval streets, windows blown out and masonry strewn across cobbled pavements.

Firefighters, police and ambulance crews established an extensive emergency operation, with six ambulances on site and two trauma helicopters landing in nearby Lepelenburg Park to transfer the most seriously injured to UMC Utrecht. A police helicopter provided aerial oversight as ground teams worked to contain the blaze and secure the perimeter. Authorities said the injured were taken to UMC Utrecht’s emergency department; officials did not release further details about their conditions.

Veiligheidsregio Utrecht and the fire department reported several partial and full building collapses. Firefighters repeatedly warned they could not safely enter some damaged structures because of the risk of further collapse, and relied on street-based hose lines and aerial platforms to fight flames. Evacuations were ordered for surrounding streets, including Mariaplaats and Springweg, and officials urged the public to stay clear while searches and firefighting continued.

The cause of the explosion remained under investigation. Some witnesses and on-scene reporting noted an odor resembling natural gas, and coverage later linked the event to a suspected gas leak, but authorities had not confirmed that account. A police spokesperson told reporters that "nothing can be said yet about the cause of the explosions." Authorities announced plans to disconnect gas supplies to affected buildings as part of safety measures while investigators examined the scene.

Utrecht mayor Sharon Dijksma said rescue teams feared there could be people trapped under the wreckage and that searches would proceed with caution. At an evening update the regional safety authority said teams were working to determine how to safely search collapsed and unstable buildings to establish whether anyone remained inside.

The blast was felt across the centre, with occupants in the Utrecht City Council building reporting windows shaking hundreds of metres away from Visscherssteeg. Local officials warned residents and businesses to expect disruptions as investigators and structural engineers assess damage and determine when the area can be reopened.

The incident highlights the acute risks posed by aging infrastructure in dense historic urban cores and will prompt scrutiny of gas safety procedures and emergency preparedness in Dutch cities. For now, the priority for authorities in Utrecht is to complete searches, stabilize damaged buildings and provide care for those affected as investigators seek to piece together what triggered the explosion.