Explosion at Rotterdam port kills one, injures several

An explosion at a storage facility for petroleum products at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands killed one person and injured several others on Thursday, August 13, 2026. The blast occurred at a site operated by energy trading company Gunvor, prompting a major emergency response and an investigation into its cause.

The explosion took place at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time on Moezelweg in the Europoort area, a major industrial section of the port. Police and emergency services were dispatched to the scene, with six ambulances, a trauma helicopter, and fire crews responding. Several injured individuals were transported to hospitals for treatment.

A spokesperson for Gunvor confirmed an "incident" occurred during maintenance work on one of its storage tanks. Local reports indicated that a hired maintenance crew was working on pipelines at the site and that something may have gone wrong as pipes were being disconnected. Traces of the explosion were visible on a storage tank at the location.

Rotterdam police secured the area as a crime scene and launched an investigation. A police spokesperson stated there was no immediate indication of sabotage and that all possible...