An 8-year-old boy was the only survivor of his family after his 41-year-old mother, 45-year-old father, and 17-year-old sister were killed by this weekend’s explosions at the Tarwekamp in The Hague.
In addition to the three family members, three other victims lost their lives, reports NU.nl.
Supporting the victims
The boy is being cared for by family, who express utter devastation following the tragic event.
The young boy and other victims are currently being offered support by the organisation Namens de Familie, which helps people cope with great loss and trauma.
School takes immediate action
The school that both the boy and his sister attended “called parents in the immediate vicinity [of the explosion] on Saturday”, school director Ewald van Vliet tells AD.
The staff have expressed great shock at the news and are doing everything in their power to accommodate everyone affected by the event.
Two further lucky escapes
All the victims and survivors of the explosion have been identified. Two of the survivors were found to be sleeping in the basement of a cafe where the explosions took place, according to the NOS.
The owner of the pub tells the NOS that it was a barman and a regular customer who regularly sleep in the basement after work.
Both made it out almost completely unharmed. They were taken to the hospital due to inhaled smoke.
Cause still unknown
The reason for the enormous explosion is still unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.
According to NU.nl, the police are still searching for the driver of a car seen after the explosion.
Know anything about the incident? As the investigation continues, the police have asked people to come forward with any valuable information by filling out the Tip Form or calling 0800-6070.
Want the latest Dutch news to come zooming through the internet to your inbox? Dat kan! Subscribe to DutchReview’s weekly roundup 📮