matrix
30th January 2010, 10:37 AM
Gas explosion' leaves 20 injured in Belgium
An apparent gas explosion has caused a five-story apartment building to collapse in Liege, Belgium, injuring at least 20 people and leaving at least two under rubble officials said.
Officials said on Wednesday that it remained unclear whether those trapped under the debris of the old building were still alive.
Two different voices were heard as firefighters looked for survivors from 2 a.m. (0100 GMT) at the scene of the blast.
"It is likely there was a gas explosion," said Mayor Willy Demeyer, adding that there had been a gas alert in the building over the weekend but no leak had been discovered.
Minutes after the blast, fire roared through the building and thick smoke filled the air.
The blast shattered windows in the City hall, 100 meters away and spread debris and dust through nearby streets in downtown Liege.
"It was such a noise that we thought the explosion happened inside the City Hall, even though the actual explosion was more than one hundred meters away, so the whole neighborhood was woken up and devastated," said Demeyer
An apparent gas explosion has caused a five-story apartment building to collapse in Liege, Belgium, injuring at least 20 people and leaving at least two under rubble officials said.
Officials said on Wednesday that it remained unclear whether those trapped under the debris of the old building were still alive.
Two different voices were heard as firefighters looked for survivors from 2 a.m. (0100 GMT) at the scene of the blast.
"It is likely there was a gas explosion," said Mayor Willy Demeyer, adding that there had been a gas alert in the building over the weekend but no leak had been discovered.
Minutes after the blast, fire roared through the building and thick smoke filled the air.
The blast shattered windows in the City hall, 100 meters away and spread debris and dust through nearby streets in downtown Liege.
"It was such a noise that we thought the explosion happened inside the City Hall, even though the actual explosion was more than one hundred meters away, so the whole neighborhood was woken up and devastated," said Demeyer