An explosion erupted on a highway near the Bologna airport in northern Italy after a tanker truck carrying flammable material burst into flames, according to the Associated Press.
The blast killed at least two people and injured about 70 others. People suffered burns from the fire and wounds from glass that went flying when windows in the vicinity shattered and a nearby bridge partially collapsed, the AP added.
Footage of the explosion, which occurred at around 2:00 p.m. local time, shows extremely heavy smoke leading into a massive ball of fire. ANSA, a leading news agency in Italy, reported that the truck had liquefied petroleum gas on board.
Italian firefighters, including the urban search and rescue team, were on the scene. Police closed the highway and other nearby roads. Firefighters tweeted videos showing the aftermath.
The airport tweeted that flights were continuing as scheduled: “Huge #explosion on the #Bologna motorway, #Bologna airport is not involved, flights are running regularly.” The airport warned travelers that traffic meant that they should “leave your houses/hotels earlier than planned.”
Source: Read Full Article