A devastating explosion at a Rome petrol station has injured 45 people, including police officers and emergency service workers. The blast occurred after a tanker truck hit a pipe while maneuvering, causing a gas leak and a smaller initial explosion. A second, larger explosion rocked the area shortly after, causing widespread damage and chaos.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as “hellish,” with a giant fireball and thick black smoke filling the sky. The explosion was reportedly heard across the city, rattling nearby windows and buildings.
Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, visited the charred remains of the petrol station and an adjacent sports center, saying the explosions had caused “enormous damage” and injured residents and emergency service workers.
Two men are in a life-threatening condition after suffering major burns, including a man who was pulled from a burning car by rescue teams. Photographs and footage from the scene showed widespread devastation, including burned-out vehicles and buildings. Emergency services are continuing to work at the scene, with many people still being treated for injuries.
The mayor praised the emergency responders for their quick action, saying that the situation could have been much worse if they had not acted so swiftly. “Shortly after the initial explosion, people from nearby buildings, including a sports center, had been evacuated by emergency teams, avoiding what could have been a much more serious tragedy,” he said.
One eyewitness, Massimo Bartoletti, described the moment of the explosion, saying, “I saw the first explosion with the classic fireball. Shortly after came the second one which was hellish.” He added, “A fiery mushroom formed in the sky. It made the whole area shake. It looked like hell, everything was flying in the sky.”
The blast caused serious damage to a nearby sports center, with the roof completely shattered and debris scattered around the swimming pool. Balzani Fabio, head of the sports center, said that if the explosion had happened later in the day, it would have been a “massacre, a catastrophe.” He added that around 60 children were due to be at the site for a summer camp, with around 120 people booked to use the swimming pool that morning.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her closeness to all those who were injured and extended her heartfelt thanks to those involved in the rescue and safety operations. The situation is being closely monitored, with many people still shaken by the explosion.
