At least three people died and several people were injured in an explosion in downtown Madrid.
Videos of the aftermath show widespread damage and wreckage covering the streets below a six-story building billowing with smoke in Spain’s capital.
NEW: Massive explosion reported in central Madrid, Spain pic.twitter.com/8yqjQH4tEX
— Norbert Elekes (@NorbertElekes) January 20, 2021
Mayor Jose Luis Martinez Almeida confirmed the two deaths on the Telemadrid news channel and said an initial assessment indicated a gas leak was the cause of the blast, according to the Associated Press.
A fire that started inside the building after the explosion has made it more difficult for search and rescue teams, the mayor added.
Martinez Almeida said the school building within the blast range sustained “mild damage,” but the building was reportedly empty because the school had not yet resumed following a record snowfall, according to local news broadcaster TVE.
The building where the blast occurred was owned by the Church of the Virgen de la Paloma, according to the Independent. The church used the building to provide residential training to priests and distribute meals to the homeless.
A church official told Reuters that one volunteer is missing.
“Two priests are in good condition and one has been transferred to a hospital,” the archdiocese that oversaw the building said in a statement, according to CNN. “We are trying to find a person who was with them when the explosion happened.”
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
