Gas explosion in Sicily: four dead and five missing

The first two victims found were a man and a woman. The identity of the third and fourth victims has not yet been established.

An elderly woman was rescued from one of the damaged buildings. She suffered minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. Hours later, a second woman was pulled alive from the rubble. They can be sisters or sisters-in-law.

Pictures show the street is full of rubble and fires are raging:

One of the people who has not yet been found is a pregnant woman. Unlike previous reports, no more children are missing. Emergency services from all over Sicily came to Ravanusa to help. Dogs are also used to search for people under the rubble.

Ravanusa is located halfway up the island, about a half hour drive from the south coast.

Completely destroyed

Those still missing were residing in the same building on Galileo Galilei Street in Ravanusa at the time of the explosion. This building was completely destroyed by the gas explosion.

This was caused by the accumulation of gas in a closed room after a gas leak. The exact cause of its explosion will be investigated in the coming days, the fire chief told ANSA.

“The roof collapsed”

“Suddenly the light went out and the roof collapsed,” said Rosa Carmina, 80, who was rescued. She ended up under the rubble and was found because she called for help.

“It looks like Beirut,” the regional civil defense chief there told Adnkronos, another Italian news agency.

The prosecutor has already opened a criminal investigation to determine whether anyone is to blame for the incident.