According to Roman police, a fuel tank at a gas station in the eastern part of the city exploded around 8:15am on Friday morning. The station sold liquefied petroleum gas.
Italian firefighter spokesman Luka Kari said that firefighters and police officers had already been called to gas stations after previous incidents, including trucks, and they were on the scene when the explosion occurred. The cause of the explosion was not yet known, Kari said, and he had no further information about the episode involving the truck.
“We just know there was an explosion,” Kari said. After the explosion, firefighters were trying to avoid the flames that began at the back of the station in the parking lot with a car confiscated by judicial authorities, he added.
The footage began to circulate on Friday morning, showing the effect of exploding into areas and nearby homes. One video showed a mass of plaster landed hundreds of yards away. Another, residents of the adjacent building said the windows exploded, showing part of the peeled door frame.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said he is monitoring the situation, as did Rome Mayor Roberto Guartieri. Meloni sent sympathy to the injured and thanked those who worked to secure the area.
rhm/