Toll from Hague building explosion rises to five

The Hague: At least five bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of an apartment block in The Hague, authorities said, as recovery efforts stretched...

The Hague: At least five bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of an apartment block in The Hague, authorities said, as recovery efforts stretched into a second day on Sunday.

Elite rescue teams picked through the debris throughout the night, searching for victims of a huge explosion and fire that destroyed at least five homes early on Saturday morning.

It remained unclear how many people could still be buried under the rubble. Police are still investigating possible causes for the explosion and blaze.

"Unfortunately, a fifth deceased person has just been recovered from the rubble," the fire service said in the early hours of Sunday.

"This brings the total number of victims to 10. Four of them were taken to hospital, one was examined on-site by the ambulance service," they added.