Rescue workers spent several hours on Sunday evening trying to free a man trapped under an apartment building after a gas explosion in The Hague that left nine people injured.

Nine people were injured in the blast in Jan van der Heijdenstraat at around 4pm. Omroep West said a 28-year-old man named as Sherwien was trapped under the rubble in the basement of the building where he lived with his parents, who were also injured.

Seven of the nine people who were evacuated from the three flats were treated in hospital for minor injuries. They included a woman who had to be rescued by crane.

The city’s fire service said a gas explosion was the cause and shut off the supply to the street. Dozens of other people were evacuated from neighbouring properties because the blast left other buildings at risk of collapse.

City mayor Pauline Krikke visited the scene on Sunday evening and described the incident as ‘terrible for those who were directly involved’. Hotel accommodation has been arranged for the residents of around 20 homes that have been declared unsafe.

Specialist support teams were drafted in from Alphen aan den Rijn and Beusichem in Gelderland to help with the rescue effort.

Omroep West reported that the 28-year-old man was trapped in the cellar of the home where he lived with his parents, who were also among the injured. He was conscious and able to communicate with rescue teams.

De hulpdiensten hebben zojuist twee personen onder het puin aan de #JanvanderHeijdenstraat #DenHaag vandaan gehaald. Beide krijgen medische verzorging. pic.twitter.com/ZKD3n6C40k

— Redactie Regio15.nl (@regio15) January 27, 2019

Op bovenste etage hangt bank in totaal verwoeste pui #JanvanderHeijdenstraat pic.twitter.com/5zArSS7j56

— lieke jongbloed (@ljongbloed) January 27, 2019

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