Latest news with #ElisabettaAccardo
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hellish explosion in Rome leaves 40 injured including 11 police officers after 'truck hit pipeline at petrol station'
A hellish explosion at a petrol station in Rome this morning has left at least 40 people injured including 11 police officers and a firefighter. The blast was heard across the Italian capital shortly after 8am on Friday and sent up a huge cloud of dark smoke and fire that was visible from several areas of the city. Shocking footage emerged following the incident, showing fires raging and a thick plume of smoke billowing from the site of the blast - a petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) station at 34 Via dei Gordiani in the Italian capital's eastern Prenestino district. 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. 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. No deaths have been reported. Clips of the inferno shared to social media by horrified locals showed blackened tarmac littered with debris at the scene, while a webcam feed managed to capture the mushroom-cloud-like explosion rising over the city. Emergency services were already at the scene before the blast. They had been called minutes earlier amid reports that a truck hit a petrol pump at the service station and caused a fire, Italian news agencies reported. Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for the Roman police, explained that fire triggered a small explosion which in turn set off a devastating chain reaction. 'There were a few chain explosions after the first one,' Accardo told Italian state broadcaster RAI. The second explosion was significantly larger and destroyed the entire facility. 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 nearby Villa de Sanctis sports centre was evacuated swiftly by police following the first explosion, with several children brought to safety. Fabio Balzani, the President of Villa De Sanctis sports centre, told La Stampa that the building and facilities were damaged in the blast. He also said that kids attending a summer camp were evacuated before the explosion amid reports of a fire, averting disaster. 'At the first hint of smoke around 7:30 we evacuated the children, there were eight of them. The parents arrived, the kids are all fine,' he said. 'If it had happened an hour later, it would have been a massacre: there would have been 60 children from the summer camp, us in charge, and 120 booked in the swimming pool. The sports center is damaged, it looks like a battlefield.' 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. One eyewitness told Italian outlet La Repubblica that it looked as though a bomb had gone off. 'I was running, as the crow flies I was less than a hundred meters from the gas pump,' Massimo Bartoletti said. 'I saw the first explosion with the classic fireball. Shortly after came the second one which was hellish. A fiery mushroom cloud formed in the sky. It shook the whole area. It looked like hell, everything was flying in the sky.' Parts of a fuel tanker were reportedly blown hundreds of metres away from the station, such was the force of the blast. Several hospitals in Rome, including San Giovanni, Sandro Pertini and Sant'Eugenio, were all alerted about possible incoming trauma victims. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented on social media: 'I am closely following the consequences of the explosion that occurred this morning at a gas station in the Prenestino neighbourhood of Rome. 'I have spoken to the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, and I remain in constant contact with Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano and the competent authorities to monitor the evolution of the situation.' 'I express my closeness to all those who are injured - including law enforcement officers, firefighters and health workers - and I extend my heartfelt thanks to those involved in the rescue and safety operations,' she wrote on X. Pope Leo XIV said he was praying for those affected by the explosion, which happened 'in the heart of my Diocese.' Other residents told Italian news agency ANSA about the ordeal. 'We were woken up by a bang, it sounded like a bomb, an attack,' a woman named Paola who lives in an apartment overlooking the station said. 'We didn't understand what it was, all the windows shook. It could have been a bomb, an earthquake, we didn't understand,' said Francesco, a tenant of a building next door. 'Then from the smoke we understood it was an explosion.' 'My mother has a cut on her leg, the windows are shattered,' another resident named Claudia said. Several residents said they saw people lying in the street who had been injured by shards of glass or debris. There is no suspicion of crime or foul play at present.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'It looked like hell': Dozens injured in huge explosion in Rome 'after truck hit pipeline at petrol station'
A huge explosion at a petrol station in Rome this morning has left at least 30 people injured, some with severe burns, and caused residents to flee their homes. Shocking footage showed fires raging and a thick cloud of smoke emanating from the site of the blast - a petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) station at 34 Via dei Gordiani in the Italian capital's eastern Prenestino district. The punishing explosion, which erupted at 8.18am this morning according to Italian media, levelled the entire lot. Clips shared to social media by horrified locals showed blackened tarmac littered with debris at the scene, while a webcam feed managed to capture the mushroom-cloud-like explosion rising over the city. Emergency services were already at the scene before the blast. They had been called minutes earlier amid reports that a truck hit a petrol pump at the service station and caused a fire, Italian news agencies reported. Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for the Roman police, explained that fire triggered a small explosion which in turn set off a devastating chain reaction. 'There were a few chain explosions after the first one,' Accardo told Italian state broadcaster RAI. The second explosion was significantly larger and destroyed the entire facility. At least nine police and fire service workers were hurt, five of which were rushed to hospital with significant burns and injuries from broken glass, though no one has yet been reported killed. One eyewitness told Italian outlet La Repubblica that it looked as though a bomb had gone off. 'I was running, as the crow flies I was less than a hundred meters from the gas pump,' Massimo Bartoletti said. 'I saw the first explosion with the classic fireball. Shortly after came the second one which was hellish. A fiery mushroom cloud formed in the sky. It shook the whole area. It looked like hell, everything was flying in the sky.' Parts of a fuel tanker were reportedly blown hundreds of metres away from the station, such was the force of the blast. 'We are working on a tank explosion ... the fire is still ongoing,' the fire department said in a statement, adding one of their officers had been hospitalised. Fire department spokesperson Luca Cari later confirmed that one firefighter was injured but 'not seriously.' Ten teams were at work on the site, he added. A damaged ambulance caught in the blast was seen sitting at the scene, with its bonnet and front doors charred. The explosion caused structural damage to several nearby buildings, shattering windows, and started a fire that spread to a judicial building located behind the petrol station. Rome's public transport agency Atac said it closed a nearby metro station following instructions from police, who were performing checks at a nearby nursery and the Villa de Sanctis sports centre to ensure no one there was hurt. The President of Villa De Sanctis sports centre, Fabio Balzani, told La Stampa that the building and facilities were damaged in the blast. He also said that kids attending a summer camp were evacuated before the explosion amid reports of a fire, averting disaster. 'At the first hint of smoke around 7:30 we evacuated the children, there were eight of them. The parents arrived, the kids are all fine,' he said. 'If it had happened an hour later, it would have been a massacre: there would have been 60 children from the summer camp, us in charge, and 120 booked in the swimming pool. The sports center is damaged, it looks like a battlefield.' Several hospitals in Rome, including San Giovanni, Sandro Pertini and Sant'Eugenio, were all alerted about possible incoming trauma victims. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented on social media: 'I am closely following the consequences of the explosion that occurred this morning at a gas station in the Prenestino neighbourhood of Rome. 'I have spoken to the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, and I remain in constant contact with Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano and the competent authorities to monitor the evolution of the situation.' 'I express my closeness to all those who are injured - including law enforcement officers, firefighters and health workers - and I extend my heartfelt thanks to those involved in the rescue and safety operations,' she wrote on X. Pope Leo XIV said he was praying for those affected by the explosion, which happened 'in the heart of my Diocese.' Residents told Italian news agency ANSA about the ordeal. 'We were woken up by a bang, it sounded like a bomb, an attack,' a woman named Paola who lives in an apartment overlooking the station said. 'We didn't understand what it was, all the windows shook. It could have been a bomb, an earthquake, we didn't understand,' said Francesco, a tenant of a building next door. 'Then from the smoke we understood it was an explosion.' 'My mother has a cut on her leg, the windows are shattered,' another resident named Claudia said. Several residents said they saw people lying in the street who had been injured by shards of glass or debris. Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the incident as firefighters continue their work at the scene. There is no suspicion of crime or foul play at present.
Euronews
12 hours ago
- Euronews
Rome petrol station explosion injures 21, damages buildings and cars
An explosion on Friday at a petrol and LPG station in the neighbourhood of Centocelle in Rome's southeast injured at least 21 people, according to reports. 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. '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.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Fireball shooting into sky': 20 injured in explosion at fuel station in Rome
Visuals of fire explosion (Video credit: X/@visegrad24) 20 people were injured in a massive explosion at a fuel station in the Rome suburbs on Friday, reports the Associated Press. Local media reports suggested that the explosion occurred during refuelling. However, a social media post citing preliminary reports stated that a truck crashed into the pipeline shortly after 8 am, sending up a huge cloud of dark smoke and igniting a fire visible from several parts of the city. The fire service shared a video on social media showing burnt and smoking buildings with flames still burning. A large fireball was seen shooting into the sky, followed by thick black smoke spreading across the Prenestino area in eastern Rome. Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri confirmed that he majority of injuries reported were minor. Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for the Roman police, said that eight police officers were injured after arriving for rescue operations. 'There were a few chain explosions after the first one,' Accardo was quoted as saying to Italian state broadcaster RAI. 'All the policemen injured suffered burns, but they are not in danger of life.' Neighbouring buildings and a children's summer camp were evacuated following the explosion. Residents interviewed by local media said the explosion was so loud and violent that it struck nearby buildings and it felt 'like an earthquake.' After the first explosion, emergency services rushed to the scene, followed by a stronger blast a few minutes later. Pope Leo XIV also prayed for those affected by the explosion, which happened 'in the heart of my Diocese.' Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she was following the situation. "I express my closeness to all those who are injured -- including law enforcement officers, firefighters and health workers -- and I extend my heartfelt thanks to those involved in the rescue and safety operations," she wrote on X. .
CTV News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
At least 20 people injured after gas station explodes in Rome
Smoke rises after a gas station exploded on the outskirts of Rome, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via AP) ROME — A gas station exploded early on Friday in southeastern Rome, injuring at least 20 people, including eight police officers and a firefighter, local authorities and rescuers said. The explosion was heard across the Italian capital shortly after 8 a.m., sending up a huge cloud of dark smoke and fire visible from several areas of the city. Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri said around 20 people suffered slight injuries. Gualtieri said local police and firefighters rushed to the area after they were alerted about a gas leak. Two explosions followed after they arrived, he added. Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for the Roman police, said that eight police officers were injured after arriving for rescue operations. 'There were a few chain explosions after the first one,' Accardo told Italian state broadcaster RAI. 'All the policemen injured suffered burns, but they are not in danger of life.' Fire department spokesperson Luca Cari said one firefighter was also injured in the explosion, but 'not seriously.' Ten teams were at work on the site, he added. Police said they were checking the whole surrounding area for people who were injured or trapped in nearby buildings. Rome prosecutors have started a probe into what caused the explosion. A sports center located near the gas station was evacuated swiftly by police following the first explosion, with several children brought to safety. Residents interviewed by local media said the explosion was so loud and violent that it struck nearby buildings 'like an earthquake.' Pope Leo XIV said 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. Giada Zampano, The Associated Press
