A tranquil vacation turned into chaos as a powerful explosion rocked a holiday park in Hindeloopen yesterday, leaving a woman injured and the surroundings resembling “a war zone.”
According to Omrop Fryslân, the blast occurred around 9:30 a.m. in a chalet at the De Watersport camping site, where the woman was staying with her husband and two children.
The explosion caused a fire that spread to several other chalets, destroying at least four of them. The fire brigade, police, ambulance, and trauma helicopter were quickly on the scene to assist the victims and control the flames.
The woman was airlifted to a hospital with severe burns. Her husband and children were also taken to a hospital for a check-up, but they were not seriously injured. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, but the police suspect that it may have been caused by a gas leak.
The holiday park was evacuated and cordoned off by the authorities. Local residents and vacationers were left in shock as the area resembled a war zone in the aftermath of the explosion. Debris was scattered across the grounds, windows were shattered, and nearby trees were stripped of their leaves.
“It was a huge bang, like a bomb went off. I saw flames and smoke everywhere. It was very scary,” said one of the guests, who did not want to be named.
Another guest, who also wished to remain anonymous, said that he saw the woman lying on the ground, covered in blood and burns. “She was screaming for help. It was horrible. I hope she will be okay,” he said.
The manager of the holiday park, Jan de Vries, said that he was shocked and saddened by the incident. “It’s a terrible tragedy. We are doing everything we can to support the victims and their families. We are also cooperating with the investigation,” he said.
He added that the holiday park had been inspected recently and that there were no problems with the gas installations. “We don’t know what happened. It’s a mystery,” he said.
The mayor of Súdwest-Fryslân, Jannewietske de Vries, visited the site of the explosion and expressed her sympathy for the victims. “It’s a devastating situation. My thoughts are with the injured woman and her family. I hope they will recover soon,” she said.
She also praised the emergency services for their swift and professional response. “They did a great job in preventing more casualties and damage. I’m very grateful for their work,” she said.
The police are still investigating the cause of the explosion and have asked anyone who has information or footage of the incident to contact them.
