At least three people were killed on Wednesday when a huge explosion ripped through a building in Madrid, with officials confirming it was caused by a gas leak.
Images from the scene showed the walls on the top four or five storeys of the residential building in the heart of the La Latina neighbourhood were blown out, with debris spread far and wide.
Government representative Jose Manuel Franco told Spain's public television that the blast occurred as a team of workmen were repairing the building's boiler.
Speaking at the scene, Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida said a woman, 85, died along with a man whose age was not immediately clear, while the third victim was still "under the rubble".
The blast injured 11 people, one of whom was in serious condition. Church sources told AFP that person was a recently ordained priest.
Despite the force of the blast, no one was hurt in the elderly care home next door, or in an adjacent school where tonnes of rubble fell into a playground while the children were in lessons, city officials said.
Wednesday was the first day that schools reopened after a nine-day closure because of the heaviest snowfall in Madrid in 50 years.
"This could have been a massive tragedy," Mr Martinez-Almeida said.
Along the street, at least 15 cars were badly damaged by the force of the explosion, which gutted most of the six-storey residential building.
"I was just leaving a nearby clinic when I heard a very big explosion. It was so big I thought it was a bomb," salesman Valentin Moreno, 48, told AFP.
"There were people running and a lot of smoke and when I got there, I saw the building's facade had been completely destroyed."
Mr Franco confirmed it was a gas explosion and said there were three dead and one missing, indicating the toll could rise further.
Hundreds of police and rescuers filled the streets around the building, which the archdiocese said housed local priests who worked in the area.
"Please pray there are no victims," tweeted the Virgin de la Paloma parish church, saying "one lay person has not been found".
"These were the living quarters for the local parish priests. They are being treated by the ambulance crews and out of danger."
The head of the elderly care home said there were no injuries among staff or residents.
"There were just over 100 people inside at the time," Antonio Berlanga, director of the four-storey Los Nogales La Paloma residence, told Spanish public TV.
Nine fire crews and 11 ambulances were sent to the scene, which was completely closed off to traffic and pedestrians.
Three hours after the explosion occurred, smoke and flames came from the building as a police helicopter flew overhead.
Aerial footage released by police appeared to show that the top four or five floors had been completely blown out.
The blast also brought down the wall of a building in Puerta de Toledo square, about 50 metres away.
"Unfortunately, we are mourning the death of several people in the explosion on Calle Toledo," tweeted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, offering his condolences to the families of the dead and the injured.
Lola Lopez Bravo, 44, was having lunch with her 6-year-old son in their nearby home when the blast occurred, bringing down the wall in her apartment.
"We were eating, suddenly we heard a noise and the wall in front of us started falling on top of us," she said.
"There was a huge hole in the wall and then the rubble started falling so we ran out of the house and went to a neighbour's place."
Lorenzo Fomento, 43, an Italian salesman who was working from home at a nearby apartment, said the noise was tremendous.
"The noise was very loud, very loud, really," Mr Fomento said. "I never heard something as loud before."
In pictures – explosion rocks Madrid
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
THE BIG MATCH
Arsenal v Manchester City,
Sunday, Emirates Stadium, 6.30pm
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Apple's%20Lockdown%20Mode%20at%20a%20glance
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
more from Janine di Giovanni
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Background: Chemical Weapons
