Search for The Hague explosion victims ends with six confirmed dead

Emergency authorities officially concluded their search for victims on Monday at the site of a devastating explosion that occurred in The Hague over the weekend.

The final death toll rose to six, with the last victim found in the building’s basement on Sunday. Authorities have confirmed that no further people are missing.

With the search for victims complete, police are continuing to search to rubble for clues about exactly what happened, as the cause of the explosion that wiped out a great part of the building remains unclear.

While they are considering the possibility of criminal intent, authorities are not providing any statements due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. So far, there are no indications that a drug lab was in the building.

Authorities said 14 apartments were damaged, and five were completely destroyed in the explosion. Large parts of the building surrounding the explosion have been evacuated, but some residents were briefly allowed to enter to collect personal belongings on Monday.

The Dutch king and queen also visited the site to speak with residents and volunteers. King Willem-Alexander said he was “in total shock” at what he had seen and heard. “When you see the place and the explosion’s impact on the building, and when I think back about it, I still feel my legs shaking,” he added.

Three of the six confirmed victims are from the same family. An eight-year-old boy is the only member of his immediate family to survive, losing both his parents and 17-year-old sister.

The city’s mayor Jan van Zanen, meanwhile, has issued an emergency order which will be in effect until Friday. Flags at The Hague’s municipality buildings have been lowered to half mast in commemoration of the victims.