What led to the devastating explosion in the Capital. Raed Arafat warns: “If the gas was turned off, someone probably turned it on”
The strong explosion produced on Friday morning partially destroyed an eight-story building in the Rahova neighborhood. Two levels have collapsed and the provisional toll is three dead and at least 13 injured. The head of DSU Raed Arafat, present at the scene, said that the block is completely evacuated and there is a major risk of collapse.
The explosion would have been caused by an accumulation of gases. PHOTO: IGSU collage
“The first verdict is that the block is at risk of collapse. It is completely evacuated. Only the search operation continues in the block. It is not possible to enter for documents and other luggage. The prayer to the population is not to risk entering the block,” Arafat conveyed.
Inside, only the fire teams from the special search-rescue unit are still active, checking the lower floors, in the area where the explosion occurred, to find possible victims.
According to the first data, the explosion would have been caused by an accumulation of gases. Raed Arafat confirmed that gas crews had intervened the day before and shut off the supply after tenants complained of a strong smell in the building.
Asked then how the explosion was possible, if the power was cut off, Raed Arafat replied: “If the gas was turned off, someone probably turned it on. That remains to be seen.”
“The most likely cause is the gas. That's for sure. We can hardly say that it's something else. But what happened, how it happened, there are many aspects that are being discussed, here it remains for the specialists in the field to come and say exactly what was there and how it happened”, explained the head of the DSU.
The hypothesis of gas accumulation was also confirmed by the prefect of the Capital, Andrei Nistor, who specified that, although there is no longer a smell of gas, “it is quite clear that this is the cause.”
Following the explosion, the block was completely evacuated and the authorities established a safety zone.
Search and rescue operations continue under the rubble, and rescuers are working against the clock to check if there are still people trapped inside.
A strong explosion took place on Friday morning in a block near Bolintineanu High School, on Calea Rahovei. The explosion destroyed two floors of the building. So far rescuers have announced that three people have died and four others are in serious condition. Several injured were transported to the hospital.
