Innocent Utrecht residents still fighting with insurers 7 months after big explosion

Tuesday, 25 August 2026 - 19:30 Share this article: Eight months after an explosion caused extensive damage to homes and businesses on Visscherssteeg in Utrecht, some locals are still unable to return to their homes. Repair work in the alley and on many surrounding buildings is still in full swing, sometimes after lengthy fights and negotiations with insurers, RTV Utrecht reports.Maria ‘t Hart, 73, has been living in a temporary apartment in the city center for eight months. “Sometimes I feel just like an old tree. You shouldn’t move old trees. Then they start to wither,” she told the broadcaster. The explosion at her neighbors’ place caused extensive damage to her home. The windows shattered, many roof tiles broke, and a massive crack formed inside the house, running from the ground floor