Huge explosion at gas refinery near Florence has killed two and four are still missing
Credit:X:@rich_win_again
A huge blast at an Italian gas refinery near the Italian city of Florence has killed two people with four missing and at least nine injured.
The unprecedented explosion happened this morning, Monday December 9 at a faculty belonging to Eni, one of the largest energy companies in Italy.
Consequences of the blast have resulted in a massive inferno which is now under control according to the local municipality of Calenzano. However, it has understandably caused shockwaves for Italy, especially local areas, where plumes of smoke shed a heavy light on the events which occurred this morning around 10am.
The impacts and causes of the explosion in Florence are being “verified”
The energy company have released a statement saying: “Eni confirms that a fire broke out this morning at the fuel depot in Calenzano,” and added that the fire was confined to a loading area and did “not affect the tank farm in any way.” Eni also stated: “The impacts and causes are being immediately verified.”
Witnesses to the event told local media: “We heard a huge explosion… All the windows shattered and shelves fell to the ground. We ran out in terror to protect ourselves and understand what had happened. Some people thought a bomb had been dropped.” At a nearby courier firm, one worker said his van “rose two meters from the ground” and can “barely hear” following the explosion. Hospitals in the vicinity are preparing themselves for a sudden influx of people with injuries. So far, nine people have been injured and Calenzano mayor Giuseppe Carovani warned: “The conditions of some injured are worrying, especially two.”
Residents in Florence area of Calenzano to stay indoors after explosion
In an area radius of 5 kilometres (3 miles) surrounding the facility, residents were being warned to “keep windows closed and do not go near the area,” by the regional Department of Civil Protection. This has been a tragedy for the area of Tuscany and regional president Eugenio Giani posted on Telegram this morning: “All of Tuscany is united in grief for the tragedy that happened today in Calenzano.”
Meanwhile, nearby hospitals are in a state of máximum alert, and have been obliged to activate a “massive influx plan” ahead of a potentially large number of injured people. The regional president also confirmed that Environment Protection Agency were on site in the case of any envrionemntal damage including waterways.
MEP and former mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella said: “We are all very shaken because the news is arriving minute after minute, the situation is very serious, and we are really worried because the explosion is serious.”
Search operations continue and those injured are being treated. The story is ongoing and families of those missing continue to hope for the best, yet dread the worst as four people remain missing.
The local municipality has declared two days of mourning on Monday and Tuesday.
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