A two-storey building housing asylum seekers in the central Italian region of Lazio was destroyed by an explosion that injured 31 people, at least six of them seriously.
An explosion in the middle of the night between Friday and Saturday (November 10-11) almost entirely destroyed a two-storey building in central Italy.
The building partially collapsed and injured 31 people, at least six of them seriously. All are asylum seekers and had been housed in mini-apartments in reception facilities managed by the Ospita firm.
The incident occurred in the industrial zone of San Lorenzo Nuovo in the centre of the Viterbo province.
Investigation into possible gas leak
The Tuscia prosecutor's office has begun investigating whether criminal negligence contributed to the accident. The aim is to ascertain the cause of the explosion. Investigators say a gas leak may have been to blame.
The explosion also damaged two businesses with their premises adjacent to the building -- a carpenter's shop and a winemaking firm.
Numerous fire squad vehicles and ambulances were sent to the scene, including ones sent from nearby provinces. Two helicopters helped transport the injured.
The victims were taken to several hospitals in Viterbo, Roma, Tarquinia, Orvieto, and Pisa. All were foreign nationals, including some children and an infant.
'Only electricity used for heating and cooking'
The public prosecutor on duty, Paola Conti, carried out an on-site inspection in close contact with chief prosecutor Paolo Auriemma. At the moment the proceedings are against persons unknown. Prosecutors are waiting for initial information from the security forces and fire squad prior to drawing up a reconstruction.
"The most probable hypothesis remains that the explosion was generated by a small space filled with gas," said Col. Massimo Friano from the carabinieri (police).
Sebastiano Sani, legal representative for the Ospita firm and co-owner of the building, disputed this hypothesis. "Due to a choice by the firm... we used only electricity both for heating and for the kitchens," he said.
Lazio regional governor Francesco Rocca expressed sympathy for the families affected and thanked the rescue and healthcare workers treating the injured.