A powerful explosion rocked a gas station in Rome early on Friday morning (04.07.2025), leaving at least 12 people injured with severe burns. The inferno was visible across the city, sending a massive black mushroom cloud into the sky. The incident occurred at a gas and LPG station located at Via dei Gordiani No. 32, in the Villa De Sanctis area of Rome.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown. Witnesses reported a strong gas odor early in the morning before the first blast, followed by a second explosion that increased the number of casualties. Among the injured are reportedly eight police officers and at least one firefighter.
Local residents described the explosion as sounding like a bomb blast. ‘All the windows were shaking—I thought it was an earthquake,’ said one shocked citizen. Some residents initially fled to a nearby sports center and later to a park for safety.
Emergency services responded swiftly, including multiple fire brigades, civil protection volunteers, state police, carabinieri, and local police units. About half an hour after the first responders arrived, an emergency plan was activated involving numerous rescue vehicles. All emergency rooms in the city have been alerted according to standard protocols for such incidents.
Footage released shows flames engulfing the facility and thick smoke billowing into the air. A large fireball was seen following the second explosion. Authorities continue to investigate what triggered the blasts.
Video footage from the scene has begun circulating online showing the moment of detonation.