A quiet neighbourhood in Utrecht was jolted awake by sirens and flashing lights late last night, as an incident that began with a routine car chase ended in the discovery of dangerous explosives.
Following the discovery, authorities were forced to evacuate two large apartment buildings near Utrecht’s Beneluxlaan and close off the surrounding area for several hours.
Chase, discovery, and evacuation
At around 8 PM the previous night (July 22), a black car caught police attention after it recklessly drove onto a bike path. Following a brief pursuit, officers stopped the vehicle and found several fuel canisters in the trunk.
Their suspicious nature was enough to bring in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) service to assess the situation, reports RTV Utrecht.
As a precaution, around 160 residents were evacuated from two nearby apartment complexes.
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A resident of the evacuated building said she heard multiple sirens around 8 PM. When she looked outside and saw a black car speeding down the bike path with a police car in pursuit, she realised that something was wrong.
She watched the antics from her balcony before being startled by her doorbell ringing. Speaking to RTV Utrecht, she said, “there was a woman from the police who said that we had to leave the building because of the security situation.”
From hotel to gym hall
The displaced residents were initially brought to the Van der Valk hotel on Winthontlaan. However, as the night dragged on and the situation remained unclear, some were later moved to a gymnasium with camp beds.
Flat in Utrecht ontruimd wegens politieonderzoek, mogelijk gevaarlijke stoffen in autohttps://t.co/JwrsZFVWUD
— Eric Roeske (@EricRoeske) July 22, 2025
In een briefing in het Van der Valk hotel laat een woordvoerder van de gemeente Utrecht weten dat er tot 01.00 uur geen nieuws naar buiten wordt gebracht.#Telegraaf pic.twitter.com/FiLYDqsYva
Translation: Utrecht apartment evacuated due to police investigation, possible hazardous materials found in car. In a briefing at the Van der Valk Hotel, a spokesperson for the municipality of Utrecht announced that no news would be released until 1 AM
As if that wasn’t enough, a similar fuel canister was found the same evening in Nieuwegein, at the Sportpark Galecop parking lot. Authorities are still investigating whether the two incidents are connected.
Safe ending in the early hours
By around 2:30 AM, the EOD team had safely removed the explosives for neutralisation at another location. Shortly after, the all-clear was given, and tired residents were finally allowed to return home.
However, a police presence still remains in the area, as investigations are ongoing.
All traffic along the Beneluxlaan and Europaplein is being diverted, and no trams are currently running.
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