Car catches fire in central Amsterdam following explosion, police says

Police say the driver of the car is suspected of having caused the fire

Amsterdam police said a car caught fire on the central Dam Square on Thursday afternoon following an explosion in the vehicle.

Police said the driver of the car was suspected of having caused the fire and had possibly done so on purpose. No injuries were reported.

Police said camera footage had shown that the fire was caused by an explosion, which happened among a crowd of people on the busy square.

Images on social media show a man with burning clothes close to a small red car with flames lashing out the windows on the Dam Square. Police are seen extinguishing the flames on the visibly wounded man before taking him into custody.

Police said it had sealed off large parts of the square as explosives experts were investigating the car.

Last week, a man injured five people near Dam Square in a stabbing rampage.

Police have identified the suspect in that incident as a 30-year-old Ukrainian national from the eastern Donetsk region, who prosecutors said had terrorist intent.