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Roya News
04-07-2025
- Roya News
Massive gas station explosion in Rome injures 45
An early morning explosion rocked the eastern outskirts of Rome on Friday, leaving 45 people injured, two of them critically, after a gas leak at a fuel station triggered a massive blast that was heard miles away across the Italian capital. The explosion occurred at approximately 8:20 AM local time in the Prenestino neighborhood. Officials said it was preceded by a fire sparked during the refueling process at a facility supplying both petrol and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, who visited the site later in the day, described scenes of destruction at the fuel station and a nearby sports center. Charred remains and thick black smoke marked the aftermath of a blast that sent a fireball into the sky and rattled windows across Rome. 'The explosion was really powerful. I felt my skin burning,' said 23-year-old Michele Secu, who had been working at the adjacent sports facility. 'I was 15 meters from the petrol station... it exploded in front of me. I don't know how I managed to run, to escape.' Emergency crews had already been deployed to the scene prior to the explosion after a gas leak was reported. Quick action by responders ensured the evacuation of nearby buildings, including a children's summer camp, potentially averting a larger tragedy. Of the 45 people hurt, 21 were emergency responders, including 12 police officers, Rome police told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Local health officials said two victims remain in life-threatening condition, one of whom suffered burns over more than half of his body. Fabio Balzani, the director of the sports center next to the explosion site, reflected on the narrow escape. 'It would have been a massacre, a catastrophe,' he said, noting that some 60 children were expected for the day's summer camp and another 120 individuals were booked to use the swimming pool amid an ongoing heatwave. Andrea Quattrocchi, commander of the local Carabinieri unit, praised his team's swift response, saying they managed to pull one person from a burning car before rushing them to the hospital. Eyewitnesses also reported that an ambulance was destroyed in the fire. Authorities believe the explosion was caused by a BLEVE, a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion, linked to the LNG system. 'The effect is as if a bomb has gone off,' said Ennio Aquilino, head of the Lazio regional fire service.
Local Italy
04-07-2025
- Local Italy
LATEST: Dozens injured in Rome petrol station explosion
The explosion occurred at a petrol station on Via dei Gordiani, in Rome's eastern Prenestino neighbourhood, shortly after 8am. The blast started a major fire that sent up a thick column of smoke into the sky. At least 35 people were injured, including 17 civilians and 18 law enforcement officers, Rome police said. Two people were taken to the nearby Policlinico Casilino in critical condition and later transferred to Sant'Eugenio Hospital, national broadcaster Rai reported. Roma: Incendio ed esplosioni in via dei Gordiani — Roma Today (@romatoday) July 4, 2025 The blast, which shook buildings and sent local residents fleeing from their homes, was heard in many parts of the city. A person at the scene told local news outlet Roma Today that they smelt gas before hearing a loud bang, followed by a much larger explosion a few minutes later. "I woke up with a start, I heard a very loud explosion, it sounded like a bomb," one witness told La Repubblica. The area around the petrol station "looks like a battlefield, full of debris," another said. Michele Secu, a 23-year-old who worked at a nearby sports centre, told AFP the explosion "was really powerful". "I felt my skin burning," he added. The exact cause of the explosion was still unclear as of Friday afternoon. Rome's Chief of Police, Roberto Massucci, said the blast followed 'an accident in the unloading of LPG'. Following the explosion, Rome's public transport operator Atac closed the nearby metro station of Teano. The station reopened at 9.49am, according to Atac. A sports centre and three residential buildings close to the station were evacuated, Rai reported. Fabio Balzani, head of the sports centre, told AFP the blast could have resulted in "a massacre" if it had happened later in the day. He said that around 60 children were expected for summer camp activities and around 120 had booked the swimming pool that morning. Rome's Civil Protection Department advised people living in the area around the petrol station to keep their windows shut and avoid using AC units. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on X she was following the situation closely and was in contact with Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri. "I express my solidarity with all the injured - including law enforcement officers, firefighters, and healthcare workers - and extend my heartfelt thanks to all those engaged in rescue and safety operations," Meloni added. The Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome is expected to open an inquiry into the explosion after gathering the first reports from fire service and law enforcement officers, Rai reported.
