BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — An explosion at a chain of home improvement stores in northeastern Romania on Friday injured at least 15 people, four of them seriously, authorities said.
Emergency services said a mobile intensive care unit was sent to the scene in Botosani, Suceava county. Four of the injured are in a serious condition, two of whom are intubated. Seven remain in hospital and eight have been released from the town's hospital.
An emergency helicopter was called and two ambulances and two fire engines were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the blaze. Search and rescue efforts are underway inside the store. It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion or the identities of those injured.
Retailer Dedeman said in a statement after the incident that a “licensed external company” had been working on the gas supply system at its Botosani store when the blast occurred at about 10.30 a.m. and that authorities were investigating the cause of the blast.
Two of the victims were taken to a hospital in the city of Iasi, about 110 kilometers (70 miles) to the south, while the other two were airlifted to the capital Bucharest for faster medical treatment, the health ministry said. Some of the injured suffered burns over 10 to 15 percent of their upper bodies.
Video footage released by emergency authorities showed the explosion blowing off part of the building's facade, with air conditioning units scattered among the rubble.
“Our top priority is ensuring everyone affected by this incident receives the care and support they need,” Dedeman said in a Facebook post, where he thanked emergency services teams for their “speed and professionalism.”
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