The heavy fireworks explosion that caused damage to houses and cars in Midwolda during New Year’s Eve attracted a lot of attention on New Year’s Day. Local residents are very shocked by the blow, which is still being investigated by the police.
“It looked like Enschede, it was such a heavy blow at ten past Sunday night. We were really shocked. Our whole house was shaking, it was not normal,” said a resident of a house further down the Anna Maria Horalaan in Midwolda.
She says, like other residents of the street who also do not want their names in the newspaper, that the explosion was probably caused by an accident with the heavy fireworks that were set off by the residents of one of the houses during New Year’s Eve. “They had been setting off heavy, illegal fireworks from a barrel for hours. At some point that probably went wrong, resulting in a huge explosion that shattered the barrel.”
Illegal fireworks
“In no time the street was full of police and fire brigades. Even the mayor came by,” says another resident. He also says he was very shocked. “How can you set off such heavy, illegal fireworks in the middle of a street where people and children live?”
The explosion severely damaged three houses. Many windows broke, while the roofs also suffered from the fireworks. A number of tiles were blown off the roof. A number of cars were also damaged. Three have now been removed.
Damage was also caused to several new homes on the other side of the street. Among other things, a number of windows were broken.
Police want camera footage
Police say an investigation into the incident is ongoing. “A lot is still unclear about the cause.” People who have images of the events are expressly asked to share them with the police.