Explosions may be linked, intentional say police

The police cannot yet disprove a possible link between Monday's explosion in Zwolle and one in a shawarma restaurant in Deventer in December. "In Zwolle we are still at the beginning of investigations and we don't yet have concrete evidence for that, but we're not excluding anything" a spokesperson said Wednesday. Police say that the explosion in Zwolle is probably a crime. They make this assessment on the basis of evidence and eye witness reports. Neighbors report hearing the tinkling of broken glass. The cause of the explosion in Deventer just before Christmas was never determined due to excessive fire damage which destroyed all traces of evidence. Both explosions happened in similar businesses, in Deventer the fire ravaged a small apartment above a grill restaurant in the Grote Overstraat. The fire damaged nine apartments, and forced 15 people to be displaced. This week's fire in Zwolle started as an explosion as well, in a 'shoarma' restaurant on the Oude Vismarkt, and also caused residents of nearby apartments to be evacuated. Deventer's fire caused serious damage to neighboring historic buildings, some of which are still uninhabitable. In Zwolle, the fire department was able to control the fire rather quickly, but apartments above the restaurant are still off limits. The police is asking for any tips from passers-by in Zwolle. "Paper delivery people, shop stockers, carnaval partygoers, it wasn't quiet on the street at the time of the explosion" the AD reports. Any eye witnesses are urged to call the police at 0900-8844, and can leave information anonymously at 0800-7000.