Explosion rocks central Milan: Street in flames after van carrying gas cylinders blows up
- Footage showed thick black smoke rising up from between buildings in the city
- It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion
Several vehicles were in flames today after a van carrying twenty gas cylinders exploded in the centre of Milan in northern Italy.
Local police said the van had caught fire, while local reports said that at least one person had been injured in the subsequent blast.
SkyTG24 broadcast footage from the Milan’s Porta Romana neighbourhood, showing high plumes of black smoke rising between buildings, and firefighters on the scene.
Mobile phone footage from the street showed several cars in flames, as well as what appeared to be a scooter and nearby buildings. The wreckage of one vehicle appeared to be in the centre of the one-way road.
Milan’s mayor said the blast was not due to terrorism or any criminal action.
Several vehicles are in flames in the centre of Milan in northern Italy after an explosion, the SkyTG24 news channel reported on Thursday
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Mayor Giuseppe Sala said the explosion had caused no deaths and that the situation was under control.
The explosion occurred at around 11.30am local time on via Pier Lombardo in the city’s Porta Romana district, 1.75 miles south-east of the city’s centre.
The city is home to around 1.3 million people.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that the van was likely en-route to the nearby Italian Auxological Institute.
Witnesses reported seeing the van catch fire, before a huge explosion.
Firefighters said the fire in the van’s engine compartment, and despite efforts from the driver to turn off the vehicle, the fire spread.
The van was carrying twenty 32-litre cylinders of oxygen, which is highly flammable. These acted as an accelerant, causing the blast, they said.
The publication said in addition to the van, five other parked cars – as well as a nearby pharmacy and an apartment building – caught fire.
One person was reported to have suffered smoke inhalation.
Pictured: Firefighters are seen in Milan working to extinguish cars that caught fire after a large blast rocked the city’s Porta Romana neighborhood on Thursday
Mobile phone footage from the street showed several cars in flames, as well as what appeared to be a scooter and nearby buildings. While the cars were quickly extinguished, smoke continued to billow our of the window of a nearby apartment block (pictured)
Pictured: Snoke is seen rising above the streets of Milan after oxygen canisters exploded today
Pictured: A firefighter is seen dragging a fire hose as emergency responders work to extinguish flames caused by an explosion on Thursday
The explosion occurred at around 11.30am local time on street via Pier Lombardo in the city’s Porta Romana district, south-east of the city’s centre
Ambulances and firefighters rushed to the scene, while the carabinieri – the police – cordoned off the area. While the blazing cars were soon extinguished, smoke was continued to billow from the windows of nearby buildings.
A nearby nursery school and one apartment building has been evacuated.
The blast came the morning after a huge Champions League semi final clash between two football clubs based in the city – Inter Milan and AC Milan.
The two clubs share a stadium and an intense, historic rivalry. There is no suggestion that the blast was connected to the match.
