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11 July 2025
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Explosion kills one, injures 45 people including police and firefighters at petrol station in Rome
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A gas explosion occurred at a gas station in the Prenestino district of Rome, Italy. The incident happened on Friday, 4 July 2025. Multiple explosions, initially triggered by a truck hitting a pipeline, injured at least 45 people, including firefighters and police officers who were already on the scene. “An explosion occurred around 08h00am at a gas station on Via dei Gordiani, in the Casalino area of Rome. One of the firefighters who responded was injured. Teams are working to extinguish the flames engulfing the judicial warehouse behind the gas station. Several people were rescued and injured. 15 teams are working, with the fire in the surrounding areas under control”, said the Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco in their media release.
“Firefighters are continuing their response following the explosion this morning at a gas station on Via dei Gordiani, in the Casalino area of Rome. One of the firefighters who responded was injured, and the other four members of the team are in the hospital for treatment. The firefighters are continuing to extinguish the flames engulfing the judicial warehouse behind the gas station: the fire is contained and under control.”
“The Drago 162 helicopter of the Lazio Air Force conducted a reconnaissance and monitoring operation in the area of the explosion. There are 15 teams at work, including the NIA (Fire Investigation Unit) for the analysis and evaluation of the causes of the explosion, the TAS (Topography Applied to Rescue) unit, the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team and the SAPR (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) unit.”
When the initial blast occurred, fire fighters and emergency operators were already on scene assessing a leak caused by a truck that collided with an underground liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline during a refuelling or unloading operation in the early hours of Friday morning.
The collision led to a gas leak at the station’s pump island, and the initial explosion was likely due to ignition of LPG vapours. Fire department officials described the primary blast as a BLEVE (boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion), which is common when pressurised flammable liquids rapidly ignite.
The blasts’ fireballs and shockwaves caused enormous damage to the petrol station and surrounding area and injured 45 residents and emergency service workers, including several firefighters who faced intense heat from the blast flames. It took 15 firefighters to bring the fire under control.
At least two of the injured were listed in critical condition. On Thursday it was announced that Claudio Ercoli, aged 54, one of the critically injured, had died with over 55 percent burns to his body.
Had the blast occurred a few minutes later than it did, the injuries may have been a lot worse as the adjacent property houses a children’s sports camp that was destroyed by the blast.
“If it had happened… half an hour later, it would have been a catastrophe,” Fabio Balzani, president of the Polisportiva Villa De Sanctis sports centre, told Associated Press. A quick evacuation of children prevented a mass casualty event. He said around 60 children were due to be at the site for a summer camp, and around 120 people had booked to use the swimming pool that morning.
The explosions caused significant damage to the gas station and nearby buildings, with visible smoke and debris across the city.
The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the incident, focusing on potential disaster and injury charges
Sources: Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco, World Socialist Web Site
“Firefighters are continuing their response following the explosion this morning at a gas station on Via dei Gordiani, in the Casalino area of Rome. One of the firefighters who responded was injured, and the other four members of the team are in the hospital for treatment. The firefighters are continuing to extinguish the flames engulfing the judicial warehouse behind the gas station: the fire is contained and under control.”
“The Drago 162 helicopter of the Lazio Air Force conducted a reconnaissance and monitoring operation in the area of the explosion. There are 15 teams at work, including the NIA (Fire Investigation Unit) for the analysis and evaluation of the causes of the explosion, the TAS (Topography Applied to Rescue) unit, the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team and the SAPR (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) unit.”
When the initial blast occurred, fire fighters and emergency operators were already on scene assessing a leak caused by a truck that collided with an underground liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline during a refuelling or unloading operation in the early hours of Friday morning.
The collision led to a gas leak at the station’s pump island, and the initial explosion was likely due to ignition of LPG vapours. Fire department officials described the primary blast as a BLEVE (boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion), which is common when pressurised flammable liquids rapidly ignite.
The blasts’ fireballs and shockwaves caused enormous damage to the petrol station and surrounding area and injured 45 residents and emergency service workers, including several firefighters who faced intense heat from the blast flames. It took 15 firefighters to bring the fire under control.
At least two of the injured were listed in critical condition. On Thursday it was announced that Claudio Ercoli, aged 54, one of the critically injured, had died with over 55 percent burns to his body.
Had the blast occurred a few minutes later than it did, the injuries may have been a lot worse as the adjacent property houses a children’s sports camp that was destroyed by the blast.
“If it had happened… half an hour later, it would have been a catastrophe,” Fabio Balzani, president of the Polisportiva Villa De Sanctis sports centre, told Associated Press. A quick evacuation of children prevented a mass casualty event. He said around 60 children were due to be at the site for a summer camp, and around 120 people had booked to use the swimming pool that morning.
The explosions caused significant damage to the gas station and nearby buildings, with visible smoke and debris across the city.
The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the incident, focusing on potential disaster and injury charges
Sources: Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco, World Socialist Web Site
