Explosion in Rotterdam Port Claims One Life, Several Injured
The incident occurred in Europoort, preceded by a power outage at the Esso refinery. Investigation into the connection between the two incidents is ongoing.
The incident occurred in Europoort, preceded by a power outage at the Esso refinery. Investigation into the connection between the two incidents is ongoing.
Local police reported that one person lost their life and several others were injured in a powerful explosion heard on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in the Rotterdam port area. According to Dutch News, the blast occurred in the afternoon within the premises of a company located on Moezelweg in Europoort.
Numerous rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene, including six ambulances, a helicopter, and firefighting units. Several injured individuals were transported to medical facilities. Police officers stated that at this stage of the investigation, they cannot provide further details about the incident.
Rotterdam police said on platform X that the explosion occurred on Moezelweg at 11:30 a.m. and that the site has been cordoned off. They added that they are investigating the circumstances leading to the accident.
Today's explosion came shortly after another incident was reported earlier in the day in the port area. At the Esso refinery on Botlekweg, a power supply interruption halted all systems, leading to gas being released from pipes, with large flames and thick black smoke visible above the port.
According to preliminary data, the accident likely occurred during maintenance when workers were separating pipelines. The force of the explosion is evidenced by visible damage to one of the storage tanks.
Gunvor Energy, which operates oil product storage tanks in the same area near the port, reported a separate incident during maintenance work on Thursday morning in which at least several people were injured. A company spokesperson stated: "We are cooperating with local authorities." A port spokesperson said the explosion did not affect the operation of the LNG terminal and that the incident is not linked to earlier power outages.
The Rotterdam-Rijnmond Regional Safety Authority announced that it is still determining whether the two events are connected. As reported by AP, Rotterdam emergency services reported a major power outage in the port and that a transformer caught fire under unexplained circumstances. Power was gradually restored to companies in the industrial part of the port several hours later.
Police have established a forensic investigation site to determine what caused the explosion. A police spokesperson said there is currently no indication of sabotage, but that possibility remains among the scenarios being explored. The port area houses a number of oil and gas companies, and firefighting teams were on standby. Rotterdam is Europe's largest port.
