UK tourist seriously injured after explosion at B&B in Rome
A 54-year-old Scottish man is currently being treated in a Rome hospital after a gas explosion occurred at his B&B in the city.
Grant Paterson, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, has been left with severe burns after the blast erupted at his three-storey accommodation in the Monteverde area of the city on Saturday morning, as reported by Associated Press.
Local news site Roma Today reported that Mr Paterson was conscious as responders pulled him from the rubble of the explosion, but suffered third degree burns to 75% of his body.
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Social media posts show that Mr Paterson arrived in Rome last week for a holiday and had visited popular sites such as the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain.
A caption alongside one of his posts reads: 'Arrived in Rome, trains, planes, buses and foot … Accommodation is beautiful. This should be a good week … if I don't get killed in some ungodly way …'
Roberto Gualtieri, the Mayor of Rome, has ordered a full investigation into the explosion.
'It was a very loud explosion", he told reporters at the scene. "A building collapsed and the wall of Villa Pamphili was also damaged.'
The East Kilbride native will continue to receive treatment at Sant'Eugenio hospital in the coming days.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who has been hospitalised in Italy and are in contact with the local authorities.'
The BBC have reported that Mr Paterson is employed by Scottish ferry operator CalMac
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