Thirty-five people from 20 families have been left homeless after a gas explosion wrecked an apartment in a seven-story block in Coimbra, also injuring five people, one of them seriously.
The explosion occurred yesterday morning in a building on Rua Augusto Marques Bom, in Vale das Flores.
Councillor for Municipal Civil Protection, Ricardo Lino, said the majority of people caught up in this disaster will be staying in the homes of relatives – but the council needs to relocate three families (five adults and four children).
Those displaced were authorised to remove “their most essential belongings” from the property during the day, in a scenario where authorities were keen to avoid further injuries due to the winds and rain coming overnight.
According to Ricardo Lino, “insurance companies will also do their job and provide support,” although there is still no concrete date for residents to be able to return to their homes.
The explosion occurred on the first floor of the building, shortly after 10am when mercifully many residents were no longer at home.
At a press conference last night, Ricardo Lino assured that street clearing operations were coming to a conclusion and that “a technical inspection of the site and the building structure has already been carried out – with municipal services and also with the support and assistance of Itecons [Institute for Research and Technological Development for Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability] of Coimbra.”
“The building’s structure is stable,” he said. “There are no problems whatsoever with the building’s structure itself, but normal procedures will be followed,” which include an inspection by insurance companies (which has already been carried out by the PSP and the PJ) and the subsequent restoration of the property.
The street remained closed yesterday evening.
Regarding buildings alongside, “apparently there are no problems of any kind,” and a “technical inspection regarding the gas” is about to be completed.
“In principle, everything will be fine. People will also be able to return to their homes, but we will wait for this inspection, which is being finalised,” Lino added.
Among the five victims is a 38-year-old man, seriously injured, who was inside the apartment at the time of the incident and suffered “abdominal trauma”. He is being treated in Coimbra University Hospital.
Other victims are a 75-year-old woman who suffered burns, a 27-year-old woman, and two other injured individuals whose injuries were considered minor and who were treated at the scene.
Two cats and a dog were also taken to the Municipal Kennel, according to Ricardo Lino.
The explosion caused “considerable damage to the apartment itself” and “projected debris” into the street, as well as sending a shockwave which caused damage to dozens of vehicles, and nearby buildings.
Source material: LUSA
