ROME – A massive gas explosion at a petrol station in Rome Friday injured at least 40 people, two seriously, including policemen, firemen and other rescue workers who had responded to an initial slightly smaller explosion after a truck hit a gas pipe.
The second blast in the northeast of Rome was heard all over the Italian capital and a thick plume of smoke was also visible from all parts.
At least 40 people were hospitalised including local residents who were injured by flying shards from broken windows.
A man was pulled from a burning car and is in serious condition.
One of the police officers is also serious, medical sources said.
But the other injured are not in life-threatening condition, officials said.
The manager of a nearby summer camp said it was lucky the blast occurred so early in the day because “it would have been a massacre” if the usual 60 children and 120 swimming pool clients had been there.
Instead, the early bird users and first kids had been promptly evacuated when the first gas smell was detected, said Fabio Balzani.
“At the first hints of smoke around 7:30 we evacuated the children, there were eight of them,” he said. “The parents have arrived, the kids are all fine.”
“The sports center is damaged, it looks like a battlefield”.
Premier Giorgia Meloni said she was in close contact with Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri to monitor the situation after the accident.
Pope Leo XIV said he was praying for the victims.
Rome prosecutors have opened a probe into the incident.
In all, some 50 people were evacuated after the bigger blast.
Environmental group Legambiente called for fewer petrol and gas stations to be located in cities in order to boost safety, especially during the torrid summer heat.
Lazio Regional Firefighters’ Chief Ennio Aquilino said “it was an explosion due to a glitch in the gas plant.
After a first intervention for a gas leak, for which firefighters rushed to the site, the big blast came. “It was like a bomb going off”. (ANSA)