• Bologna blast damage from the police
  • Fire with explosions in Bologna, one dead and 40 injured
  • Bologna, the moment of impact and the explosion in the police video

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06 August 2018It is at least one dead person - the driver of the tank - and more than one hundred wounded the balance of the fire occurred on the highway bridge on the Casalecchio junction. The relief efforts are still ongoing and the involvement of other people is not excluded. According to the first data of the Ausl of the capital of Emilia, 55 patients were transported to the Maggiore hospital in Bologna with burns from the first to the third degree. Some of these (in all 18 people) were then sent to nearby hospitals, in Budrio, San Giovanni and Bentivoglio. Two other people were then taken to Cesena and Parma in serious condition. Finally, ten patients with mild injuries were medicated at the Bazzano hospital. Among the injured also 11 carabinieri and two policemen from the road, who were directing traffic after a previous car accident.

The burst tanker was probably carrying lpg. Thus said engineer Giovanni Carella, emergency coordinator of the Emilia-Romagna Fire Department. "The shockwave was very violent - he said - many wounded, in fact, have cut wounds to the broken glass. When the motorway viaduct collapsed, the blast was very violent and tore apart the sheets of the tanker that much probably carrying LPG. The flames rose very high but were tamed soon enough. "

The fire broke out around 2 pm in the Borgo Panigale area, on the outskirts of Bologna. The extinguishing of the flames is made difficult by the very high heat that makes it difficult to approach. A few dozen cars would also explode.
Some injured were hit by debris. Glasses have also broken out in some nearby houses.

According to preliminary reports, the fire was triggered by a traffic accident on the ring road between a truck carrying flammable substances and some cars. Several cars from some nearby dealerships caught fire and exploded.

The explosion of the vehicle that went up in flames on the junction between the A1 and A14 near Borgo Panigale led to the tearing and collapse of a portion of the highway over the bridge over the Via Emilia.
Around the area of ​​the explosion all the wooden supports that line the bridge went into smoke and also act as sound-absorbing barriers as well as protection structures.

The motorway bridge of the Casalecchio A1-A14 junction, which overlooks the Via Emilia in Borgo Panigale, has partially collapsed. The fire brigade is controlling the bridge from above. Above the bridge there are still flames and there is a firemen helicopter trying to tame them.

The column of smoke caused by the fire is visible from all over the city. Numerous ambulances are on site to help the injured. At work the fire brigade to try to tame the flames.
The Casalecchio motorway junction has been closed in both directions.

Bologna: Mayor Merola, a neighborhood involved
"First of all, I express my condolences on behalf of the whole city to the families of those who lost their lives in this very serious accident and I address a thought to the wounded, among them there are also several rescuers who have not hesitated in the face of the risks they were running ". Thus the mayor of Bologna, Virginio Merola, comments on the serious fire and explosion incident that took place on the A14 in Borgo Panigale, in a populous city suburb. "With all my heart I thank all the people who have provided help and are busy - he continues - we are facing a great tragedy that has involved not only a stretch of motorway but a district of our Bologna. The Municipality, through the offices and the competent councilors, is at work to do all that is necessary in coordination with the other institutions. As always Bologna knows how to react and act, this is the strength of our city ".

Trails closed highways and alternative routes
The Bologna Casalecchio motorway link is closed in both directions, between the Bologna Casalecchio junction and the A14. A section of the A14 between Bologna Casalecchio and the junction for the Bologna Casalecchio / A14 junction is also closed, in both directions. The sections of the Tangenziale between Bologna Casalecchio and the junction of exit 3 Ramo Verde (in the direction of the A14 Bologna-Taranto) and that between the exit 5 Quartiere Lame and the number 1 Nuova Bazzanese (in the direction of the motorway) are also closed. A1 Milan-Naples). It specifies one
Viability Italia press release, also published on the website of the Ministry of the Interior.

For long journeys, these alternative routes are suggested: for those traveling on the A14 and heading towards Florence-Rome, it is advised to exit at Cesena and take the E45 Ravenna-Orte; and viceversa. For those traveling on the A1 and having already passed Florence, it will be possible to "continue along the A14 - reads the release - using a junction specially opened at the 189th km of the A1 motorway". For those coming from the Veneto on the A13 and direct on the A1 towards the south, ie from the A14 should continue south on the A1, it is advisable to take the A1 but in a northerly direction, to exit at the Modena Sud tollbooth and make a turnaround on the roundabouts to return to the A1 towards Florence-Rome from the Modena Sud tollbooth.

Some alternative routes for local traffic are also suggested. There are no repercussions to the viability for those coming from the North along the A1 and head south to reach Florence or the Adriatic routes on the A14 towards the south.

#bologna #BorgoPanigale #PoliziaStradale These are the changes to the viability due to the serious accident involving the motorway and ring road pic.twitter.com/eMzi8QHTL6

- State Police (@poliziadistato) 6 August 2018


Prosecution opens investigation for culpable disaster
The prosecutor's office in Bologna has opened an investigation for culpable disaster against unknown persons following the violent fire that broke out after the road accident on the Bologna ring road, in Borgo Panigale, which then caused a series of chain explosions. The chief prosecutor of Bologna, Giuseppe Amato, also visited the place this afternoon. Meanwhile, according to what emerges from the video of the accident, it would have been the driver of the tanker to first buffer a truck that preceded him, at a time when he was proceeding at low speed due to the formation of a queue due to traffic. The first to be hit by flames and explosions were 3 policemen (one of whom was in serious condition) and eleven Carabinieri who were injured during the rescue operations.

Count tomorrow in Bologna and Foggia, near the Government
"Tomorrow it will be in Bologna and Foggia, where today two very serious and deadly incidents have occurred, to bring the closeness of the whole Government to the wounded and to the families of the victims. Thanks to the police, the fire brigade, the rescuers and to the heads of the local and regional authorities and of the Civil Protection with whom I have been in constant contact throughout the day ". Premier Giuseppe Conte writes it on facebook.