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Date Published: 06/05/2022

ARCHIVED - At least 17 injured in huge explosion in central Madrid

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

The blast may have been caused by ongoing works in the Madrid building

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - At least 17 injured in huge explosion in central Madrid

A violent explosion has rocked the centre of the Spanish capital on Friday afternoon, May 6, injuring at least 17 people, four of whom have had to be rushed to hospital

The explosion occurred shortly after 1pm in the attic of a building in the Salamanca district, at number 35 of Calle General Pardiñas, near the intersection with Hermosilla in Madrid.

The blast has caused severe visible damage to the building itself, while several nearby premises have been evacuated by firefighters, who have indicated that the explosion may have been caused by works that were being carried out at the top of the building. Emergency workers continue to search the rubble for more possible victims.

According to mayor José Luis Martínez Almeida, one of those caught in the blast was lifted into the air and thrown as far as a patio located between calles General Pardiñas and Ayala.

Susana Calderon, working in the Bartolomeo Kitchen, described the moment of the violent eruption: "The scare has been horrible, we felt a gust of wind that has shaken everything," she said.

The street remains covered in rubble from the damaged buildings.

"All the cars parked down here are smashed with rubble," another witness said.

Firefighters from the Madrid City Council, along with National and Municipal Police, have arrived at the scene, and health personnel from the Samur-Civil Protection have set up a field hospital nearby.

The perimeter around the building has been sealed off to prevent any harm coming to onlookers, while the “surrounding buildings are being evacuated, the Police are going up to inspect the rest of the floors."

As a result of the explosion, Madrid City Council has declared a Complex Incident Procedure (PIC) alert, and specialised technicians have been called in to analyse the scene of the blast, since several nearby residents reported a strong odour of gas.

Madrid Emergency services have confirmed that the Nuestra Senora de Loreto school, which is located very close to the site of the explosion, has not been evacuated and that teachers and students remain inside.

Imágenes tras la #Explosión en un edificio de General Pardiñas con Ayala. @BomberosMad @SAMUR_PC @policiademadrid

⤵️⤵️⤵️ pic.twitter.com/Z1CrJAm6om
— Emergencias Madrid (@EmergenciasMad) May 6, 2022

Images: Emergencias Madrid

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