ROME: A suspected gas explosion rocked a building housing asylum seekers in the quiet town of San Lorenzo Nuovo, near Viterbo, resulting in the partial collapse of the structure and leaving 31 people injured. The incident occurred shortly before midnight.
A video released by the fire service depicted the aftermath of the explosion, revealing sections of the two-storey building reduced to rubble. The facility, described as a reception center, suffered an “explosion and partial collapse,” believed to be triggered by a gas leak, according to the preliminary assessment by the authorities.
Gas Explosion Destroys Building Housing Asylum Seekers
Rescue efforts, which included the deployment of sniffer dogs, confirmed 31 persons injured in the incident. Among the casualties, one person was reported to be in serious condition and subsequently airlifted to a hospital in Rome.
The building, consisting of mini-apartments designed to accommodate asylum seekers, housed mostly men, with some women without children. The blast also caused collateral damage, destroying a carpenter’s workshop and a wine shop adjacent to the reception center, as reported by ANSA.
