Thirty-one people were injured after an explosion, "probably as a resultof a gas leak", in a building housing asylum seekers in central Italy. A video released by firefighters shows parts of the two-story building in San Lorenzo Nuovo, near Viterbo, reduced to rubble after the explosion occurred shortly before midnight on Friday night.
The fire brigade said in a statement that there had been an "explosion and partial collapse" of the building, presented as a reception centre for asylum seekers, "probably as a result of a gas leak".
A person in serious condition
After the search carried out during the night, including with the help of dogs, the number of injured people stands at 31. One person in serious condition was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Rome and is currently in a coma, according to the Ansa news agency.
According to Ansa, the building was made up of mini-apartments housing asylum seekers, mainly men, but also women without children.