Rome petrol station explosion injures 25, damages buildings and cars
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Gas station explosion in Rome injures 25, probe launched into technical fault
A devastating explosion at a petrol and LPG station in southeast Rome injured 25 people and damaged nearby buildings. The blast, suspected to be caused by a technical fault during refuelling, triggered two explosions and a major fire. The explosion was heard across the Italian capital shortly after 8 am (local time) and sent up a huge cloud of dark smoke and fire that was visible from several areas of the city. Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, which could be related to a previous gas leak during the unloading phase of liquified petroleum gas at the station, as per PTI. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also said that she was closely following the developments and was praying for those affected by the explosion in the heart of my Diocese.
Firemen, policemen and rescue teams work on the site of an explosion in a fuel station in Rome. Pic/AFP
Listen to this article Explosion in Italy: At least 25 people injured in Rome, investigation underway x 00:00
A powerful explosion in Italy has created a ruckus in Rome. A devastating gas station explosion in southeastern Rome injured 25 people. The explosion at a petrol and LPG station in the Centocelle area of southeast Rome on Friday caused significant damage to nearby buildings and vehicles, as per ANI.
According to PTI, citing the Rome fire brigade, the blast occurred around 8:20 am (local time) during a refuelling operation. Reports further say that the explosion happened because of a technical fault at the gas station. The explosion in the Prenestina area was followed by a fire, causing a blast that was heard in several neighbourhoods across the capital of Italy.
The explosion was heard across the Italian capital shortly after 8 am and sent up a huge cloud of dark smoke and fire that was visible from several areas of the city.
Considering the situation, Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said that local police and firefighters rushed to the area after receiving a report of a gas leak. Two explosions followed after they arrived.
Elisabetta Accardo, who is Rome’s police spokeswoman, highlighted that “16 residents were injured, including two who were in ‘severe conditions’ and hospitalised at Rome’s Casilino hospital.
She further added that “Nine of the injured are from law enforcement corps (police and carabinieri), and one is a firefighter, but luckily they are not in danger, and their medical condition looks fine, as per PTI.
Just a few minutes after the explosion at the gas station, fifteen firefighting teams were at the site trying to bring the fire under control.
Rome prosecutors have also begun a probe into the cause of the explosion, which could be related to a previous gas leak during the unloading phase of liquified petroleum gas at the station, as per PTI.
Acting swiftly, a sports centre located near the gas station was evacuated by police following the first explosion, with several children brought to safety. Police said they checked the surrounding area for people who were injured or trapped in nearby buildings.
Barbara Belardinelli said she and her daughter were slightly injured when they heard the first explosion and left their home to investigate before the next explosion struck them.
She added, “As soon as we heard the second explosion, we were also hit by a ball of fire. I thought that a car near us exploded; metal fragments were flying in the air.”
While expressing her experience with the explosion, she said, “We felt the fire on the skin; the arm of my daughter is still red. It was horrible.”
Other residents interviewed by local media said the explosion was so loud and violent it struck nearby buildings ‘like an earthquake breaking windows and ripping off shutters.’
However, Pope Leo XIV said he was praying for those affected by the explosion, which happened ‘in the heart of my Diocese.’
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also said that she was closely following the developments.
(With PTI Inputs)
Rome petrol station explosion injures 25, damages buildings and vehicles
At least 25 people were injured in an explosion at a petrol and LPG station in Rome’s southeast. Initial reports suggest the accident was caused by a technical fault during refuelling. None of the injured are in a serious condition, authorities said. Five people were reportedly hospitalised, all with minor burns and injuries caused by shattered glass from the explosion. Residents said the explosion was so loud and violent that it struck nearby buildings “like an earthquake”
An explosion on Friday at a petrol and LPG station in the neighbourhood of Centocelle in Rome’s southeast injured at least 25 people, according to authorities.
According to initial information from the Rome fire brigade, the accident, which occurred at around 8:20 am, was caused by a technical fault during refuelling.
None of the injured are in a serious condition, authorities said. Five people were reportedly hospitalised, all with minor burns and injuries caused by shattered glass from the explosion.
The blast was heard in other parts of the Italian capital, with the plume of smoke visible across the city. According to the Agi news agency, the explosion was so violent that some people inside the flats near the petrol station were also injured.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said local police and firefighters rushed to the area after being alerted to a gas leak. Two explosions followed after they arrived, he added.
Initially, 10 people were reported injured: eight police officers, a firefighter and an emergency operator, a number which Gualtieri later said reached around 20 before the toll was updated to 25.
“There were a few chain explosions after the first one,” Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for the Roman police, told Italian state broadcaster RAI. “All the policemen injured suffered burns, but they are not in danger of life.”
The shock wave caused damage to some of the surrounding buildings and vehicles, which caught fire. The flames quickly spread to a law enforcement warehouse located behind the petrol station.
The area was cordoned off to facilitate safety operations, with firefighters continuing to work to extinguish the blaze under challenging conditions, as Rome remains hit by an intense heatwave that has lasted for weeks.
Residents interviewed by local media said the explosion was so loud and violent that it struck nearby buildings “like an earthquake”.
The Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office is awaiting the initial reports from the fire brigade and the police to open an investigation file.
Rome petrol station explosion leaves 40 injured
The explosion was heard across the Italian capital shortly after 8am on Friday and sent up a huge cloud of dark smoke and fire. 24 residents were injured, including two who were in ‘severe conditions’ at Rome’s Casilino hospital. Police said they checked the surrounding area for people who were injured or trapped in nearby buildings. The explosion could be related to a previous gas leak during the unloading phase of liquified petroleum gas at the station.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said that local police and firefighters rushed to the area after receiving a report of a gas leak. Two explosions followed after they arrived, he added.
“Local police immediately evacuated a sports centre nearby, while other officers evacuated buildings on the other side of the gas station, avoiding a much more serious tragedy,” Mr Gualtieri said.
Residents were evacuated (Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via AP)
Elisabetta Accardo, Rome’s police spokeswoman, said that 24 residents were injured, including two who were in “severe conditions” at Rome’s Casilino hospital.
Eleven of the injured are from law enforcement bodies — police and carabinieri — and one is a firefighter but they are not in life-threatening conditions.
Rome prosecutors have begun an investigation into the cause of the explosion, which could be related to a previous gas leak during the unloading phase of liquified petroleum gas at the station.
The sports centre was evacuated swiftly by police following the first explosion, with several children brought to safety. Police said they checked the surrounding area for people who were injured or trapped in nearby buildings.
Barbara Belardinelli said that she and her daughter were slightly injured when they heard the first explosion and left their home to investigate before the next explosion struck them.
“As soon as we heard the second explosion, we were also hit by a ball of fire. I thought that a car near us exploded, metal fragments were flying in the air,” she said. “We felt the fire on the skin, the arm of my daughter is still red, it was horrible.”
Other residents said the explosion was so loud and violent it struck nearby buildings “like an earthquake”, breaking windows and ripping off shutters.
Pope Leo XIV said that he was praying for those affected by the explosion, which happened “in the heart of my Diocese”.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she was closely following the developments.