Six people have died and seven people were injured in an accident which saw a man drive a lorry into a large neighbourhood barbecue on the Zuidzijdsedijk near Rotterdam on Saturday evening.
On Saturday evening at around 18:00, a lorry drove off the Zuidzijdsedijk in Nieuw-Beijerland and went down a slope onto a patch of land where a large neighbourhood barbecue was in progress, as can be seen on a video shared by MediaTVnl. It hit several people in the process.
"There are several dead and several wounded. The investigation is still in progress and the area has been cordoned off, and the lorry will be impounded later for investigation," a statement from the Dutch police read on Saturday night. The exact number of casualties has not yet been confirmed.
The emergency services were quick to arrive, and several victims were immediately taken to a nearby hospital. The driver was also arrested on the spot and immediately transferred to a police station.
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"It concerns a 46-year-old man from Spain. He has been arrested for involvement in the incident and his role is being investigated. For the time being, we are keeping all scenarios about the circumstances open," the police stated.
Victim support was called in for assistance while emergency accommodation was arranged for people attending the barbecue.
This article is being updated as additional information continues to emerge.
