On Saturday, May 13, 2000, time stood still for a moment. The whole world is watching as an entire residential area is destroyed in Enschede. The disaster occurred when a storage space belonging to the SE Fireworks company caught fire. The disaster caused 23 deaths. 950 people were injured. Nothing was left of the residential area: more than 250 homes were completely destroyed. Surrounding businesses also went up in flames.
The disaster
The SE Fireworks factory is located in Roombeek, a residential area in the Dutch city of Enschede. This company imports Chinese fireworks. Around three o’clock in the afternoon one of the warehouses caught fire. The fire brigade had almost no chance to control the sea of flames. The second and third storage areas went up in flames, after which a chain reaction of small to gigantic explosions caused the fatal blow: The central storage center for 177 tons of fireworks exploded with a gigantic bang.
The gigantic bang could be heard from a radius of more than 80 kilometers. The fatal explosion caused complete destruction of the Roombeek residential area. The explosion triggered the emergency plan. As a result, emergency services came from all regions such as Oldenzaal, Almelo, Nordhorn and even from the Randstad. The damage from the fireworks disaster amounted to approximately 500 million euros.
More than 100,000 people took part in the silent march on May 19 in Enschede.
Chronology fireworks disaster
- 3 p.m.: The alarm center receives a report of a fire at SE Fireworks on Tollenstraat. Because it concerns a fireworks storage facility, all the police forces in Enschede responded.
- 3.15 pm: The first emergency services have arrived or are already working on bringing local residents to safety or combating the enormous sea of flames.
- 3.20 pm: The fire brigade is unable to prevent the fire from spreading. The fire spreads to the second and third storage centers.
- 3:23 PM: The first explosion occurs. Flying debris causes fires in surrounding homes and business premises.
- 3:24 PM: The second, third and fourth explosions occur. Once again, surrounding businesses and homes are destroyed or damaged.
- 3.25 pm: The situation is seriously out of hand. The police cordon off the area.
- 3:30 PM: The devastating explosion takes place. This is the explosion that has made famous images all over the world. This blow destroyed more than 200 houses and 34 business premises. More than 1,500 people became homeless. A huge plume of smoke can be seen more than 90 kilometers around.
- 3.35 pm: Mayor Mans declares the affected part of the city a disaster area. He calls for help from emergency services from across the region. Germany is also coming to the rescue.
- 3.50 pm: Flaming fires lead to a major fire in the Grolsch brewery. A few minutes later, part of the factory explodes.
- 4.20 pm: A central emergency hospital is established at Van Heekpark. Less than a minute after its founding, the first death is confirmed.
- 4.25 pm: The evacuation zone is expanded. The whole of Enschede is now cordoned off to prevent disaster tourism. This would allow emergency services to work more quickly. The reason for this is the Grolsh brewery, which is in danger of exploding. More than 6,000 liters of ammonia are stored here.
- 5:30 PM: Reports of several lootings are made.
- 5.40 pm: Emergency workers who came from outside Enschede are called to come to the Arke Stadium. More than 150 ambulances are ready here to transport injured people.
- 6:30 PM: In a press conference, the mayor reports that at least a hundred people have been injured. There is no mention yet of the death toll.
- 7 p.m.: Mayor Mans says at least 20 people have died.
- 19.05: Information numbers are drawn up. However, the capacity of the lines is minimal. This is due to the much-watched broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest. This broadcast is stopped to increase the capacity of the emergency lines.
- 19.10: Twente Air Base will become the central departure point for trauma helicopters. No fewer than six were ready to be deployed.
- 7.30 pm: Toxic substances in the air are measured by the RIVM.
- 7.50 pm: Emergency ordinance to prevent looting is introduced by Mayor Mans.
- 8:30 PM: Danger of explosion at the Grolsch brewery is over. The brewery has been made safe.
- 9 p.m.: riot police are deployed in the disaster area. They must prevent looting.
- 11:30 PM: Emergency workers continue to search for victims. More than 1000 people spend the night in Diekmanhal or Pathmoshal.
- 00.45: GGD reports the number of injured. This has now risen to 300.
- 01.15: Eight bodies are found and recovered. Two bodies belong to firefighters. Twelve missing people are still being sought. Also among these missing people are two firefighters.
- 06.00: Emergency ordinance for the whole of Enschede is introduced. This is to prevent disaster tourism.
- 09.00: Prime Minister Kok arrives in Enschede. He visits the disaster area together with Beatrix, who arrives later.
- 12.00: New figures are released in a press conference. The number of injured is now 541 and the number of deaths has been determined at thirteen. In this conference, Prime Minister Kok announces an investigation into the cause.
- 2.15 pm: Asbestos has been released due to the major fire. Dusty work is strongly discouraged. What is recommended is washing clothes.
- 3:30 PM: The death toll rises to fourteen and the number of injured rises to 562. More than 400 people are still missing. They report during the afternoon.
- 5 p.m.: Giro 777 opens its lines to receive donations for victims. The huge amount of 45 million euros would later be announced.
- 6 p.m.: Damage is estimated at approximately 1 billion guilders (450 million euros).
- 7:00 PM: Repairs and clean-up actions are held. Preliminary judicial investigation is initiated.
A total of 23 people were killed. This included four firefighters who gave their lives to ensure the safety of their fellow man. 950 people were injured.
Bakker, Pater and De Vries
The Public Prosecution Service is launching a criminal investigation into the cause of the disaster. SE Fireworks is officially liable. An international search warrant and arrest warrant is issued against directors Bakker and Pater. They report to the police on May 19, the same day that the silence is held. On August 9, 2000, the two directors were suspected of, among other things, violating environmental laws, illegal storage of fireworks and illegal sales.
In 2002, to the surprise of the Dutch people, it turned out that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the two directors for the deaths of the 23 Dutch people. However, they were given six months in prison and a fine of 2,250 euros for violating environmental regulations and illegal trade in fireworks.
In the weeks following the two directors’ rulings, new evidence emerged. For example, a fire is said to have been started in the SE Fireworks storage center . This evidence led to a new trial. This time it was André de Vries who had to defend himself. He was sentenced by the Public Prosecution Service to fifteen years in prison for arson resulting in death. De Vries appealed and was defended by Bram Moszkowicz. He was acquitted in Arnhem. This led to a lot of commotion among the Dutch population.
In 2003, the two directors were taken to court again. The court in Arnhem sentenced the two to one year in prison.
The following years
Every year there was a new document or report that led to new evidence. However, this was never enough to file a new lawsuit.
The latest and most striking evidence only emerged in May 2010, exactly ten years after the disaster. A family member of one of the directors still had to be interrogated, but this never happened during the investigation. This already raised some questions from the Public Prosecution Service and the Dutch population. The family member stated that there were indeed people working or present in the building when the fire started. This has so far been denied by the directors. She stated that the fire was caused by an industrial accident. The well-known
AVRO program ÉénVandaag managed to obtain important evidence. The documents would be proof that arson was the cause after all.
However, a new investigation was never conducted and the real cause of the fire, which resulted in a gigantic disaster , never became clear. The chance that the cause will now be identified is very small.
Roombeek
After the fireworks disaster, three quarters of Roombeek was completely destroyed. The district fell into disrepair and acquired a negative name. That is why a unique urban development plan was quickly developed where history would be combined with modern homes and a new lively center. Now, almost thirteen years later, Roombeek has been completely rebuilt. Architecture and culture are central to Roombeek. The project agency that was given responsibility for the reconstruction mainly let the old local residents determine what the neighborhood should look like. A total of 1,500 homes were built to accommodate more than 4,000 residents.
Even though there is a completely new neighborhood in Enschede with its own character, the disaster will never be forgotten. There was a huge crater where the factory stood. This crater has remained as it is. A memorial has been placed on the edge of the crater where there are still many flowers every day.
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel has made a special and longer broadcast about the fireworks disaster with its program Seconds from Disaster. The documentary contains shocking images that clearly portray May 13, 2000.
Some of the images that are shown are the explosions, firefighters who unsuccessfully resuscitate their colleague and a seriously injured cameraman who succumbs after the devastating explosion. The majority of the documentary is seen through the eyes of the four deceased firefighters.
Dead
23 people died as a result of the disaster. Four of these deaths were firefighters. The death toll also includes a reporter from SBS who reported live to the channel’s news broadcasts. He died when the largest explosion happened less than fifty meters from him. The youngest victim was five years old. The oldest was 81 years old. See below for the full list of deaths.
- NM Azink
- TJ Hesselink
- H. van der Molen
- J. Louis
- W. Ophoff
- PW Gremmen
- M. van Nieuwenhoven
- GBF Oude Nijeweme
- CR Ransing
- MP Ransing
- E. Saddal
- AL Jhakrie
- P. Jhanjan
- NM Temel
- S. Temel
- H. Temel-Karacan
- MB Slot-Langeveld
- GJM Old Emperor-ten Vergert
- J. de Vries
- M. Schreurs
- DA Verdam
- H. Vinke
The 23rd victim, Latifa El Moussaoui-El Allaoui, is not on the list. This is because she was not immediately present at the disaster, but died due to health problems as a result of the disaster. This happened five months after the fireworks disaster. Officially she is not seen as a victim of the fireworks disaster.
Saturday, May 13, 2000 ended in a dull bang.
The flares shot far into the universe. The air pressure made the disaster complete .
It was the beginning of enormous human suffering
. The entire media and the world came to a standstill for Enschede. And now, after weeks, you hear nothing anymore. That is strange. Perhaps it is also a ,normal, fact. They are not the ones who were driven into misery.
Debris flew around us
. Houses fell over, what you saw was only stone. Should I stay here or leave? Want to run, trot, away, but stood still in fear
I stare at the sky with its gray colors What misery around me, what is about to happen G tall shadows walk across the street
Walking and running past each other, no one talks
Pain, tears, fear and sadness Every time you those images before you Tossing and turning in your bed, hoping for the light You realize every time what the disaster has done to us
You drove and left in the afternoon In the evening and the following nights you stayed away You, as big and strong as you were in life Were driven uninvited by flames and rubble into misery
Our life has many goals But the priority is that we feel safe
Together we hope that everyone with all their sorrow May find strength for everyone who lost their lives in this disaster
Margot , 2000