One person died and several others were wounded after an explosion at Rotterdam port on Thursday, Rotterdam police said. The blast happened on the Moezelweg around 11:30am (0930 GMT), and police cordoned off the scene while they investigated how it happened.
Rotterdam police on Moezelweg
Rotterdam police posted on X: "An explosion occurred on the Moezelweg (road) around 11:30am (0930 GMT). We are investigating how this happened". They also said: "The crime scene has been cordoned off."
The port is the largest in Europe and includes an oil refinery and multiple petrochemicals facilities. For people working in and around the port, the immediate issue is the police cordon and the active investigation at the site where the explosion occurred.
Gunvor Energy maintenance activity
Gunvor Energy reported a separate incident during maintenance activity on Thursday morning that left at least several people injured. The company said it was cooperating with local authorities, placing that incident alongside the police investigation rather than inside it.
Local media reported that several power outages had affected Rotterdam port earlier on Thursday, and police and local safety authorities were still investigating whether there was a link between those outages and the explosion. That leaves the timeline focused on three points: the outages first, the maintenance incident next, and the explosion later on Moezelweg.
For anyone affected at Rotterdam port, the practical reality is that access to the scene is restricted while police and local safety authorities work through whether the outages and the blast are connected. The central question is the cause of the explosion at Rotterdam port, and the answer will determine whether the day’s disruptions were linked or separate.
