Prosecutors in Romania initiated an investigation following two blasts at an unauthorized liquefied petroleum gas station north of Bucharest. The unfortunate incident led to two fatalities and left 56 injured, with a significant number being firefighters. These brave first responders arrived at the Crevedia commune station to tackle the initial blaze, only to face a subsequent explosion.
General Prosecutor Alex Florenta said the fire ignited during a gas transfer between tankers. Speculations include the possibility of a discarded cigarette, which might have been the ignition source. The two victims, a couple, met tragic ends – the male due to a heart attack and the female from severe burns. Head of the emergency department, Raed Arafat, disclosed that some victims, including firefighters, have been sent overseas for medical treatment, with destinations including Italy and Belgium.
The defense ministry stated that the country has appealed for help via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to assist 18 severely burned individuals. Janez Lenarcic, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, acknowledged this request on X (formerly Twitter), with countries such as Austria, Germany, and Norway extending support.
Lapses in Safety Regulations
Further information reveals that the gas station’s ownership license had been revoked in July 2020 due to detected irregularities. While the station was declared a parking area for company tankers, prohibited gas transfer operations persisted. The severity of the incident mandated an evacuation within a 770-yard radius of the explosion site.
President Klaus Iohannis expressed his deep sorrow, terming the event a “tragedy”. This incident has reignited public anger over the nation’s inadequate official supervision related to safety norms, a concern previously exacerbated in 2015 after a catastrophic fire in a Bucharest nightclub took 64 lives.
