Overview
- The explosion struck a nine‑storey residential building in Bucharest’s Rahova district, destroying several floors and causing major structural damage.
- Emergency services reported 17 injured, including two in serious condition and a child in life‑threatening condition.
- Authorities evacuated the building and cordoned off the area due to a high risk of collapse as rescue operations continued.
- Raed Arafat, Romania’s emergency services chief, said a gas blast is the probable cause, though confirmation is pending.
- Shattered windows at a nearby high school led to minor injuries among students, and the school was evacuated as a precaution.