An explosion has destroyed several apartments and injured multiple people in the Netherlands.
The loud bang and fire rocked the Mariahoeve neighbourhood in The Hague on Saturday morning.
The cause of the disaster is unclear, but police said they are looking for a car which was seen leaving the scene.
Emergency authorities added four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to hospital, but could not say how many people may still be under the rubble.
Dutch media reported that one of those hospitalised was a child.
A line of 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.
Residents of the northeastern neighbourhood in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. One woman told local media that she thought an earthquake had happened.
Dutch authorities deployed a specialised urban search and rescue team to the scene, with four dogs trained to find victims.
Prime minister Dick Schoof said he was shocked by the images of the disaster.
“My thoughts go out to the victims, all other people involved and the emergency services who are now working on the scene,” he said in a statement.
The Dutch royal family said: “Our thoughts are with those affected in The Hague after the explosion and fire this morning”.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima added they send their wishes to those “who are afraid of the fate of their loved ones”.
In a statement, The Hague Fire Department said: “At around 6.15am a three-story apartment building partially collapsed and a fire broke out.
“Up to now, four victims have been taken to the hospital.”
