Madrid Gas Explosion Injures at Least 25 People

(MENAFN) A powerful gas explosion rocked Madrid’s Puente de Vallecas district Saturday afternoon, injuring at least 25 people — including three critically and two others in potentially serious condition — according to media.

The blast, which occurred shortly after 3 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), tore through a converted commercial property, damaging the building above it and a nearby bar.

Emergency crews quickly cleared the area following the blast, as Carlos Marín de la Bárcena, chief of the Madrid City Fire Department, confirmed it was a gas explosion. He stated that authorities are still working to determine the type of gas involved, the source of the leak, and what triggered the incident.

Authorities have cleared residents from all nine apartments in the affected three-story structure. Inmaculada Sanz, Madrid’s Deputy Mayor and head of Security and Emergencies, warned that occupants may be displaced for an extended period due to “significant damage to the structural flooring between the ground and first floors.”

Sanz added that the City Council, in coordination with Samur Social, is arranging temporary housing for those impacted, while municipal engineers assess the building’s integrity.

Firefighters, forced to work by hand due to the instability of the debris-laden structure, managed to pull four individuals from the rubble.

While rescue efforts continue, Sanz noted that most of the debris has now been removed and it “seems unlikely” further victims remain trapped.

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