A 52-year-old has died and 25 people were injured after a suspected gas explosion in Spain. This blast erupted in Madrid on Saturday, September 13, around 3 PM local time, according to PEOPLE.
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One Dead, 25 Injured, After Gas Explosion In Madrid
It was allegedly near a bar on Manuel Maroto Street in Puente Vallecas where the explosion happened, per the Madrid Emergency Information Office on X. Three of the 25 injured individuals were in serious condition, two others potentially serious, as shared in a follow-up post.
Video footage from the posts showed firefighters clearing out debris from the building. Officials also promised to provide alternative housing for the families affected by the blast.
Then, after a new search with a canine unit, they found a deceased individual. According to the police in an X post, they confirmed this was the body of a 52-year-old man.
“Three #GuÃasCaninos from @policia specialized in the search for people and human remains have participated in the rescue efforts for the #explosión that occurred yesterday in #Vallecas,” it wrote.
Cause Of Devastating Blast
El PaÃs reported that the explosion happened on the bottom floor of a three-story brick building. It had primarily affected a building that had recently been converted into a home.
The eruption also damaged the wall of the Peruvian bar Mis Tesoros. Officials went back into the “unstable” building after receiving a distressing report from a relative who suspected they knew someone who was beneath the rubble. This led to them finding the 52-year-old man the following day.
Immaculada Sanz, the Deputy Mayor of Madrid, spoke up about the incident around 7:30 PM. “At this time, it seems that the possibility of anyone trapped has been ruled out,” the translated quote read. “A significant portion of the rubble has been cleared, and firefighter dogs have been working in the area.”
Sanz estimated that around nine homes were affected, although residents told police 11 homes were inside the building. According to a fire department spokesperson, the explosion was caused by a concentration of gases. They don’t yet know where exactly the blast originated, but an investigation is underway.