انفجار يهزّ روما.. إصابات ودمار في محطة وقود

The Italian capital, Rome, witnessed a loud explosion this morning (Friday) that shook the Prenestino neighborhood in the eastern part of the city, resulting in at least nine injuries, including eight police officers and one firefighter.

According to Reuters, the explosion occurred at a gas station distributing gasoline, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas, and the flames spread to a nearby warehouse, causing significant damage to adjacent buildings.

The Italian authorities received a report of the incident at the gas station in the Prenestino neighborhood, where emergency teams, including police and firefighters, were already on site after a truck collided with a fuel pipe, causing a leak.

Suddenly, a massive explosion occurred, injuring eight police officers and one firefighter, along with an unspecified number of paramedics and passersby, and five of the injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The flames resulting from the explosion spread to a nearby warehouse, while the shockwave caused damage to neighboring buildings.

Images published by local media, such as the "Roma Today" website, showed a huge ball of fire and smoke rising above the station and surrounding homes, while other images revealed near-total destruction of the gas station.

One eyewitness told Reuters: "I heard the sound of the explosion as I was leaving my house; the entire house shook, and I was afraid the windows would shatter from the force of the explosion."

For its part, the fire department confirmed that it is working to extinguish the flames resulting from the explosion of one of the tanks, noting that the situation is still under control.

The office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also announced that she is closely monitoring the developments of the incident, and emergency teams continue their efforts to contain the damage and secure the area.