This is the moment a huge fireball erupted from a building in Calenzano, a town some 18 miles from Florence, in Italy.
The loud explosion that rocked the building, believed to be a deposit owned by Italian oil industry company Eni, was heard from miles away and sparked panic among locals, with many contacting authorities to flag the incident, Italian media reports.
The bang that left the Florence area shaking happened shortly after 10am local time (9am GMT) on Monday, December 9.
Pictures emerging online show massive flames and thick black smoke rising from the building.
Emergency services, including a helicopter, rushed to the scene amid reports of several people being injured. Local officials said at least one person has died following the blast.
Several people are feared to have been left injured, with Eugenio Giani, the president of the Tuscany region encompassing Florence and Calenzano, saying shortly before 12pm local time (11am GMT): “Health emergencies across the whole regional network is providing support, alongside with firefighters and police forces. At the moment, the number of injured people taken to hospital is in constant evolution.”
He also shared a dramatic clip on Facebook showing the fire. He said: “All hospitals and the A&Es in the area have been alerted”.
Locals have been urged to keep their windows closed, with authorities of the nearby town of Campi Bisenzio, less than five miles from Calenzano, urging locals to keep their windows closed.
The message, shared by local news outlet Firenze Today, read: “Following a big fire that is expanding in the industrial area in Calenzano, citizens are invited to close their windows as a precautionary measure. The situation is being monitored and updates will follow.”
The civil protection also issued a similar alert to people in the area at 11.25am (10.25am GMT), with a message both in Italian and English reading: “Civil Protection Alert 09/12/2024 at 11:25 – Accident at the Eni Spa industrial facility involving hazardous substances in the Municipality of Calenzano (Florence) Via Erbosa 29.
“Find indoor shelter and do not go near the facility. Keep up to date and follow the instructions of the authorities.”
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