NETHERLANDS – Explosion at Rotterdam port site kills one, injures several

One person has died and several others were injured after an explosion at an industrial facility in the Port of Rotterdam on Thursday 13th August.

Emergency services were called to the site on Moezelweg in Europoort shortly after midday. Six ambulances, a trauma helicopter and fire crews were sent to the scene, with several injured people later taken to hospital.

According to regional broadcaster Rijnmond, a contracted maintenance team had been working on pipelines at the facility when the incident occurred. Initial reports suggested the explosion may have happened while workers were disconnecting the pipes.

Signs of the blast were reportedly visible on a storage tank at the site. Police confirmed the death and injuries but said they had no further information available at the time.

The explosion came on the same day as a separate incident at the Esso refinery on Botlekweg. A power failure caused systems there to shut down, while gas lines were emptied, producing large flames and clouds of black smoke over the port.

The Rotterdam-Rijnmond safety authority said it was not yet clear whether the two incidents were connected.

Photo credit: Mouneb Taib. All rights reserved.