Two fatalities and at least 56 injuries have been reported after two large explosions at an unlicensed liquified petroleum business in Romania. Forty-nine rescue workers were among the wounded.
Romania’s Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat said the firm was illegally functioning without the proper permits.
Crevedia, a small village near Bucharest, was reportedly the first to be hit by the explosion. As the fire spread to two gasoline tanks, the authorities evacuated nearby homes and shut down nearby traffic.
A huge mushroom cloud was sent upward after the blast. Homes were flattened.
An unidentified couple was discovered dead at the scene, and several others, including many police officers, were sent to hospitals with severe burns.
According to officials quoted by the news outlet, more than a dozen firefighters who had responded to the area were injured in the second explosion.
On Sunday morning, Premier Marcel Ciolacu told reporters, “We expect four of the patients will most definitely be transferred tonight to hospitals in Italy and Belgium.” We have a high degree of confidence that they will be moved.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis shared his condolences on Facebook after the death of a family member. He said that providing the affected with the necessary support and making it easier for them to seek emergency treatment is the top concern at the moment.
“As soon as the situation is stabilized in the at-risk zone, an investigation must be swiftly initiated to determine whether the law and regulations have been violated,” President Iohannis said.
To prevent a repeat of previous catastrophes, Iohannis urged the authorities to “take proper actions for the injured.”
Liquefied petroleum gas has gained popularity in Eastern European countries as a more cost-effective alternative to traditional fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel. Liquefied petroleum gas is widely utilized even though it is highly combustible.
The authorities have initiated an inquiry to learn more about the circumstances leading up to the deadly explosion.
