One killed and 46 injured after devastating explosions rip through town

One person has been killed and dozens have suffered horrifying burns after multiple explosions rocked a town on the outskirts of Romania’s capital city.

A huge blast at a liquefied petroleum gas station tore through Crevedia, near Bucharest, on Saturday, leaving at least 46 people injured.

After the first explosion, a raging inferno quickly spread to two tanks and a nearby house, prompting mass emergency evacuations within 700 metres of the fuel station.

Traffic was blocked as fire crews battled the blaze, according to the government’s emergency response unit (IGSU).

But then a second devastating explosion erupted, injuring 26 firefighters, deputy interior minister Raed Arafat, head of the emergency services, told reporters.

Terrifying images from the scene showed a huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky.

Of the 46 injured, eight were intubated after suffering severe burns, the government said.

An emergency meeting was held with the state agencies involved in handling the crisis.

‘We think four of the patients will more than certainly be transferred tonight to hospitals in Italy and Belgium,’ prime minister Marcel Ciolacu told reporters.

Some 25 fire engines were deployed at the scene, but the fire still hadn’t been completely put out.

Mr Arafat warned more explosions could be ignited as a third tank at the site posed a risk.

He said: ‘The area is still dangerous… there is a risk of another explosion at another tanker.’ 

Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis said the explosions were a ‘tragedy’ and is ‘profoundly saddened’ by the incident.

‘An investigation must quickly be launched to see if rules were broken,’ he wrote on Facebook. 

‘I ask the authorities to take urgent measures for the injured so that these tragedies won’t happen again.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.