Naples, explosion at restaurant: search for missing person

Napoli – Rescue teams are searching through the rubble for a person reported missing by relatives or neighbors. It is not yet clear whether he was in the building at the time of the explosion. Firefighters are clearing debris from the street with a bobcat, while canine units are searching through the rubble.

The devastating explosion occurred around 19:00 PM in a building on Via Peppino De Filippo, in the heart of Naples. Initial hypotheses suggest a gas leak aggravated by the presence of cylinders stored in a warehouse on the ground floor.

La explosion, of unprecedented violence, tore off the five floors of the building, projecting debris to the building opposite. Residents describe an earthquake: "Everything shook, then only dust and screams." The Fire Department immediately intervened on the scene, extracting an injured woman, who was rushed to the hospital.

The explosion would have started from the room on the ground floor, where there were probably non-compliant LPG cylinders. The technicians of Italgas and the experts from the Public Prosecutor's Office are already working to reconstruct the dynamics and verify any responsibilities.

Damage and fear among the inhabitants

In addition to the building that was hit, several neighboring homes reported structural damage. Some families were evacuated as a precaution. Mayor Gaetano Manfredi assured support to the evacuees and announced widespread checks on gas installations in the area.