Amsterdam:
A man set himself and his car on fire on Amsterdam’s iconic Dam Square on Thursday, police said, in what they suspected was a possible attempt to take his own life.
Images posted by local media and online show a small red car pulling up to the National Monument located near the square’s southeastern corner.
A small explosion followed shortly afterwards, with flames shooting out of the vehicle.
“Camera images show that the fire on the Dam was sparked after an explosion in a car,” Amsterdam police confirmed on X, formerly Twitter.
BREAKING:
Video of the moment the failed car bomb exploded at the main square in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
A car is on fire after a small explosion. The police believe it’s a deliberate attack.
It’s the same location where 5 people were stabbed a few days ago. pic.twitter.com/6xmudcjXE4
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 3, 2025
“At that moment there were a lot of people close to the vehicle, but as far as we know, no bystanders were injured,” police added.
Passers-by can be seen scattering, with several police vehicles quickly surrounding the burning car.
The fire was believed to have been deliberately started by the car’s driver “who was injured in the process,” police said.
The driver stumbled from the car with his clothes on fire, quickly extinguished by police.
The injured man was taken to hospital and was under police arrest.
He was later identified as a 50-year-old Dutch national from the North Netherlands province. Police however did not release his name.
Car on fire on the central Dam Square in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Police report that the driver was injured, they do not rule out that he himself intentionally caused the fire pic.twitter.com/t1csu1FwC6
— RT (@RT_com) April 3, 2025
“Detectives are keeping all scenarios open, but have strong suspicions that the man wanted to take his own life. He is suspected of arson,” the police said.
An AFP reporter on the scene saw police and explosives officers probing the burnt-out vehicle, while the square in the heart of the city remained largely cordoned off.
A witness told the local AT5 television station she heard a “small pop, not even a real explosion” on the square and saw people running away.
“Then suddenly there was a loud bang and lots of black smoke.”
“After that I saw the man. Suddenly he was on fire. It was unreal,” she said.
The latest incident came days after a Ukrainian man last week stabbed five people at random in the streets around the square, located in the heart of the Dutch capital.
Dutch prosecutors said Tuesday the man “acted with terrorist” intent.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
