Two powerful explosions occurred on Friday morning at a gas station in the Prenestino district in eastern Rome, injuring at least 21 people.
The blasts occurred around 9:00 AM (Romania time) after a pump from a tanker detached during the refueling of the distribution facility, according to the ANSA agency.
Witnesses reported that first a strong gas smell was felt in the area, followed by two explosions. There was initially a first explosion, then a fire, and the second explosion occurred while firefighters were already intervening in the fire, as reported by Roma Today.
Here is the moment of one of the explosions, captured in images:
The flames quickly engulfed the gas and LPG station, spreading towards the courtyards and buildings nearby.
A thick column of smoke and fire rose above the affected area, visible from several neighborhoods of the Italian capital.
The flames were not completely extinguished by Friday noon, and several nearby buildings suffered damages, including broken windows.
Among the injured are several firefighters, police officers, and civil protection volunteers who were already on-site to intervene in the fire. Three people suffered severe burns.
For safety reasons, authorities closed the Teano metro station located nearby, and access to the area was restricted. An investigation is underway to determine the exact causes of the explosion.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that she is closely monitoring the situation and has discussed with Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri.