"This is an old part of the city, houses are close to each other": what is known about the explosion in the center of Madrid

An explosion in central Madrid killed at least four people, Spanish media reported.

According to El Pais, the explosion occurred at about 15:00 local time (17:00 Moscow time).

According to preliminary data, a gas leak was the cause of the explosion.

According to local publications, the incident occurred on Toledo Street near the nursing home.

The explosion destroyed at least four upper floors of the building.

According to radio Cadena SER, the explosion occurred in a house belonging to the nearby Catholic Church Iglesia de la Virgen de la Paloma.

After the incident, rescuers evacuated local residents and passers-by.

The mayor of the city, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, also went to the scene of the explosion.

This was announced by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

“Terrible explosion in a building on Via Toledo in Madrid.

We are closely monitoring the information we receive, wishing that, despite the striking footage, we would not have to regret the victims, "the head of the Cabinet wrote on Twitter.

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The mayor of Madrid did not rule out that the structures remaining after the partial collapse of the building could be demolished.

He said that there were no casualties among the guests of the nursing home located nearby, they were being evacuated to the nearest hotel.

Along with this, debris also fell into the courtyard of a nearby college.

According to the mayor, there are no casualties, but several people received minor injuries.

The Russian Embassy in Spain is monitoring the situation, the diplomatic mission said.

There is no information about the Russians injured in the incident, the embassy noted.

“The embassy is monitoring the situation around the explosion in the center of Madrid, one of the most likely causes of which the authorities say is a gas leak.

There is no information about the injured Russians.

We keep in touch with the emergency services of the city, "- said in a message posted on Twitter of the embassy.

At the same time, the Russians were among the eyewitnesses of the explosion in Madrid.

Galina Lazareva, a private guide in Madrid, told Sputnik radio the details of the incident.

“This is an old part of Madrid, where the houses are close to each other and the streets are very narrow.

Therefore, this house, in which the explosion took place, - the three upper floors were removed from it - it naturally rests against three walls: this is a church, a school and a residence for the elderly, ”she said.

According to an eyewitness, immediately after the explosion, about 30 ambulances arrived at the scene of the incident.

“I didn't see the explosion, but I felt it.

I was in my room, and suddenly there was a strong vibration, "- said a resident of Madrid Ryan Simpson in an interview with the website" Moscow 24 ".

During the explosion, he assumed that a large block of snow or ice had fallen from the roof, since there was a heavy snowstorm a week or two ago and the snow is still melting.

Then he saw smoke outside the window and what was left of the building where the explosion took place.

“Emergency vehicles blocked all nearby streets, there are many of them.

A helicopter is circling above him.

But the building isn't on fire, ”added Simpson.

Explosion of a building in Paris

A large explosion occurred in the center of Paris in January 2019.

According to the police, the incident occurred at about 9:00 local time in the house number 6 on Trevize Street, where the bakery was located.

As a result of the incident, four people were killed, including two firefighters, several dozen people were injured.

The correspondent of RT France Luc Leger, who visited the scene of the explosion, said that the firemen of Paris had not been able to extinguish the fire for a long time.

According to him, an hour and a half after the explosion, smoke was coming from a bakery located on the basement of the building.

Residents of the area also spoke about the incident.

According to one of the women living nearby, she was awakened by a blast wave.

“All the windows in the apartment were broken, all the open doors came off their hinges.

To leave the room, I had to walk right through the door.

The children panicked, they couldn't get out of their room, ”she said.

A tourist who at the time of the explosion was with her family in a hotel opposite the building also spoke about the incident in the center of Paris.

“We slept, woke up from the fact that the building began to shake.

Heard the sounds of breaking glass.

Everyone looked at the windows and saw that they were broken.

About 15 minutes after that, a policeman appeared in the courtyard of the hotel, who said: "There was an explosion, it is necessary to evacuate, everyone is out."

This is what happened to us, "a woman who, together with her children, visits the French capital for the second time, shared with RT.

It is also known that several civil security helicopters were used to transport the wounded.

After the explosion, the mayor's office organized a reception of citizens in one of the administration buildings.