Suspect in fatal Vroomshoop house fire faces 12-year sentence demand

News report | 15-01-2026 | 16:12

The public prosecutor painted a poignant picture of the situation after the fire broke out and the victims fled to the bathroom: “In the recorded phone call of the man with 112, panic and fear are audible. The sirens of the arriving fire brigade can already be heard in the background when the victim no longer responds.” The bodies of the victims were found in the bathroom. They died from inhaling hot smoke.

On December 27, 2025, the suspect drove from Ridderkerk to Vroomshoop. He came because of a dog he had previously owned. When the door was not opened, the suspect became enraged. According to the Public Prosecution Service, he opened a gas cylinder and threw or pushed it into the house. The gas explosion that followed, probably ignited by the pilot light of the stove, caused the fire. That the suspect grabbed and opened the gas cylinder is partly derived from the recording of the call with 112. It can be heard that the victim says that ‘a gas cylinder was thrown inside that was open’ and ‘he throws it straight through the windows and radiated inside.’ Camera footage and witness statements also support this scenario. The suspect breaks glass, bangs on the door, and uses threatening language including ‘I count to 3, open or not, otherwise the facade goes out, open that door, I will kill you.’

Conditional intent

There is no doubt that this case involves a criminal offense and a criminal perpetrator. It is up to the court to determine whether it concerns arson within the meaning of article 157Sr, which requires intent, conditional or otherwise. The Public Prosecution Service does not assume that the suspect intended to cause the explosion or fire with fatal consequences. However, conditional intent is involved because the suspect consciously accepted the significant chance of the explosion. Gas from a gas cylinder is life-threatening. This is generally known and is also stated on the cylinder. The suspect used the gas as a means to force the victim to come outside, precisely because the gas is so dangerous. It cannot be otherwise than that he realized this. He thus accepted the significant chance of creating a life-threatening situation.

Completely irresponsible

“In the eyes of the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect must be convicted of arson in which two people and three animals lost their lives. He can be blamed for acting completely irresponsibly with an open gas cylinder, which he used as a weapon. He accepted the chance of an explosion. The suspect has also permanently and profoundly changed the lives of the victims’ relatives. The loss and the knowledge of the gruesome way their loved ones died is very painful and sad for the relatives and will probably always remain so.” With these words, the public prosecutor motivated the demand for a 12-year prison sentence.