A butane gas cylinder explosion at number 13 Venero street, in Poblenou, has caused a fire in a dwelling this Tuesday and the evacuation of the building. Eleven people have been injured, including a mother and her minor son with serious and less serious burns, transferred to Vall d'Hebron Hospital.
The fire was extinguished shortly after three in the afternoon, but the explosion left three floors uninhabitable and another nine homes without water or electricity. While some of the neighbors began to return home, a dozen people were still awaiting relocation.
The explosion left two injured transferred to Vall d'Hebron and nine affected by smoke
Nine more people suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation and did not require hospitalization. The SEM mobilized nine ambulances and the 112 telephone received thirty calls about the incident.
The hypothesis with which the firefighters are working points to the explosion having occurred while a person was cooking. Nine units from the Bombers de Barcelona, with support from the Mossos d'Esquadra and the Guàrdia Urbana, were deployed to Venero street.
"The fire, caused by the explosion, after three in the afternoon has already been extinguished" - Carles Chico, Head of Unit and Intervention of the Barcelona Firefighters
During the intervention, emergency services cut off traffic on Venero, Llull, Pujades, and Llacuna streets. Protecció Civil activated the pre-alert of the Procicat plan.
Barcelona Firefighters rule out structural damage but keep three apartments uninhabitable
After inspecting the property, Carles Chico indicated that the building does not present structural damage. Even so, the apartment where the explosion occurred and two others have been rendered uninhabitable.
In addition, nine other homes can be occupied, although for the moment they do not have a water or electricity supply due to damage to the internal installations. The CUESB attended to twenty-nine people evacuated from the building.
Twelve of them, distributed in three family units with two minors, have alternative accommodation planned, while the rest have already begun to return to their homes. Social services focused during the afternoon on residents who could not return immediately.
Facing the affected building, the Pere Relats Foundation kept its residents and staff confined inside to avoid smoke inhalation. For a large part of the morning, access for workers and family members to the center was not permitted.
"He has been able to speak with his father and he is well, although scared" - Vanessa Fernández, daughter of a resident of the Pere Relats Foundation
Vanessa Fernández also explained that access restrictions to the center were maintained while the incident on the street lasted. The CUESB plans to accommodate twelve people belonging to three family units with two minors.