MILAN (AP) – An explosion Tuesday at a decades-old hydroelectric power plant in northern Italy killed at least three workers and injured five others, the local fire chief said. At least four other people are missing.
An explosion during maintenance work at power company Enel’s Belgium plant south of Bologna causes part of the nine-story underground structure to collapse, causing a fire and flooding up to 60 meters (200 feet) deep. Regional Fire Chief Francesco Notaro told SKY TG24. .
Search efforts were proceeding with caution due to the risk of further collapse. Divers were also assisting in the search, which was expected to continue through the night.
Video provided by firefighters showed smoke rising from the basement of the lakeside power plant.
“This is a historic power plant for us,” Marco Masinara, mayor of the nearby town of Camugnano, told SKY. “Managed by Enel for 50 years, providing jobs for many families. Until today, nothing happened. Today, a drama happened. Our world has collapsed.”
He said three of the people hospitalized were in serious condition, while the other two had minor injuries.
The man-made Lake Sviana was formed by the construction of a dam between 1928 and 1932 and is located in a regional park approximately 70 kilometers (40 miles) southwest of Bologna at an altitude of 500 meters (1,640 feet).
Enel Green Power said in a statement that there was no damage to the dam. CEO Salvatore Bernabei visited the site and followed up on developments. The company expressed its condolences to the victims and their families.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she had heard the “terrible” news and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families.
