Rome [Italy], April 10: At least four workers were killed in an explosion at a hydroelectric power plant on a reservoir in northern Italy on Tuesday.
The authorities feared in the evening that the number of fatalities at the plant on the Suviana reservoir between the cities of Bologna and Florence could rise: Several hours after the accident, which occurred at around 3pm (1300 GMT), three workers were still missing.
At least five workers suffered burn injuries. According to initial findings, fire broke out in the plant during work on a turbine at a depth of around 30 metres for an initially unexplained reason, which then led to the explosion. As a result of the explosion, water also entered the power plant, according to the findings. The dam itself - around 2km away - was not affected. The fire brigade had great difficulty reaching the site of the accident due to heavy smoke.
The mayor of the nearby small town of Camougnano, Marco Masinara, reported that work was being carried out on the turbines inside the building. The accident occurred far below the water level at level minus nine, he said.
The electricity supplier Enel, which owns the power station, confirmed the accident without providing further details. The fire brigade was deployed with more than 40 volunteers and several helicopters.
The provincial commander of the Bologna fire brigade, Calogero Turturici, told the television station E-TV: "There is a lot of smoke. We are struggling to get into the premises."
Source: Qatar Tribune