A man set himself and his car on fire in Amsterdam’s iconic Dam Square in a possible attempt of suicide, the Dutch police said on Thursday.
The incident occurred near the National Monument located near the square’s southeastern corner in the Dutch capital earlier in the day.
Videos shared on social media showed a red car parked near the museum. Shortly after, a small explosion follows, with flames coming out of the vehicle, according to AFP.
The Amsterdam police said that the visuals show that the fire was sparked after an explosion.
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
“Camera images show that the fire on the Dam was sparked after an explosion in a car,” Amsterdam police confirmed on X, formerly Twitter.
“At that moment there were a lot of people close to the vehicle, but as far as we know, no bystanders were injured,” the police added.
The explosion occurred at a time when a lot of people had gathered at the Dam Square. The video showed that a group of people was also present near the red vehicle at the time of explosion, following which they ran away.
The police vehicles arrived immediately after the car went on fire. Police said that the fire was “deliberately started by the car’s driver who was injured in the process.”
The driver stumbled from the car with his clothes on fire, quickly extinguished by police. The driver has been taken to the hospital and is under police custody. He has been identified as a 50-year-old Dutch national from the North Netherlands province.
“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.
The latest incident comes 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. The suspect was overpowered by a bystander during the attack and was taken into custody.
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