Amsterdam landlord: full repairs after Osdorp explosion to take weeks to months

Housing corporation Stadgenoot said full repairs to a residential complex in Osdorp damaged by a powerful explosion earlier this week will take weeks to months to complete, even as emergency repair work has already been carried out and residents have begun returning home.

The explosion occurred overnight between Thursday and Friday in a basement storage unit of an annex attached to a flat in Amsterdam’s Osdorp neighborhood. Seven people were injured, and about 400 residents were forced to evacuate. Sources had previously told Het Parool that seven to eight teenagers and young men allegedly used a basement under a fitness center to assemble explosives, including large devices intended for ATM bombings and smaller charges designed to force entry during burglaries in Germany. The explosion may have been triggered when several of the youths were smoking near the explosives, setting off a chain reaction.

Among the injured is allegedly a man in his early 20s, described as the younger brother of a convicted offender serving four years for organizing ATM bombings in Amsterdam, Kaatsheuvel, and near the German border. He suffered burn injuries. Another victim, identified as a close friend of the first, is in critical condition and is reportedly facing amputations of both legs and one arm.

Since the blast, Stadgenoot has carried out multiple emergency repairs inside affected apartments, focusing on broken glass and damaged front doors and window frames. The housing corporation said these measures were intended to make the building safe enough for residents to return in stages.

By Saturday evening, residents were able to collect new keys and sleep in their homes again.

However, Stadgenoot said full restoration will take significantly longer due to the extent of the damage in some units and delays in obtaining necessary materials. “In the coming weeks to months we will carry out the final restoration," the company said.

Several repair-related issues remain unresolved. Residents still cannot access their mailboxes because replacements must be installed. Stadgenoot said it is working with PostNL to arrange a temporary solution for mail delivery.

Access to storage areas has only been partially restored. Storage units located under the main building are accessible again, but those under the damaged annex remain closed.

Cleanup is also still ongoing, with Stadgenoot reporting that broken glass and debris remain in parts of the building.