Shocking scenes emerged today (04.07.2025) following a devastating explosion at a fuel station in Rome, leaving 29 people injured. The area of Prenestino was left in ruins after the blast at a gas depot, causing massive material damage, thick smoke, and widespread panic among locals who described how ‘the ground shook’ beneath them.
According to authorities, one man is in critical condition, while two others suffered burns. Emergency services reported that the total number of injured has reached 29. Residents were urged to keep their windows closed due to potential toxic fumes.
The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, arrived at the scene and remains in constant contact with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Pope Leo XIV also expressed concern over the incident, with a Vatican statement confirming he is ‘following the developments and praying for the health of all those injured.’
Firefighters, Civil Protection units, and Carabinieri forces rushed to the site, managing to rescue a man trapped inside his burning car. Locals reported hearing a loud bang and seeing metal and glass fragments propelled into the air.
Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for Rome’s police department, explained that the initial explosion was triggered by a fire, which set off a chain reaction of destruction. An eyewitness told *La Repubblica* that the second blast resembled a ‘mushroom cloud,’ shaking the entire neighborhood and sending debris flying through the air.
The force of the explosion was so strong that parts of a fuel tanker were thrown hundreds of meters away, highlighting the severity of the incident.