Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 16, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 16, 2026
Explosion damages homes and injures at least 4 in the Netherlands
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Firefighters work to extinguish the fire at the scene of an explosion in Utrecht, Netherlands, on January 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahmad Seir)
UTRECHT, Netherlands — An explosion on a residential street in the center of the Dutch city of Utrecht has injured at least four people, an emergency services official says.
The cause of the blast is not immediately known.
The explosion, which caused a fire and widespread damage, sent people running into nearby shopping streets. Firefighters have tried to douse the flames but were not immediately able to enter damaged homes because of fears of structural damage.
Emergency services spokesman Sjaak Haasnoot says the four people injured were taken to a hospital. The extent of their injuries is not known. It is unclear if anyone was killed.
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