Gas explosion suspected after Regensburg building fire injures several
At least four people were hurt and three are missing after an explosion and fire tore through a Regensburg apartment block before dawn on Wednesday, police said.
An explosion and fire tore through a multi-family apartment building in Regensburg, Germany, in the early hours of Wednesday, injuring at least four people and leaving three others reported missing, police and fire services said.
Residents reported hearing a loud bang at around 04:00 local time, after which the building caught fire, a police spokesperson said. At least four people were taken to hospital, some with serious injuries, and the true number of injured was likely higher, the spokesperson said.
Fire crews said three people were missing, though it was unclear whether they had been inside the building when the explosion happened. The blast blew out two walls of the building, and witnesses described an initial fireball followed by intense flames, a fire service spokesperson said.
Police said the cause was still unclear but that a gas explosion was suspected, noting that the building had a gas supply. Photos from the scene showed a wide gap in the building's facade where the walls had been blown outward, WELT reported. Both the damaged building and two adjacent properties were declared at risk of collapse and sealed off, with Germany's THW disaster relief agency working to secure them.
Twenty-seven residents of the three affected buildings were temporarily housed in a nearby guesthouse while authorities searched for longer-term accommodation, fire services said. About 100 firefighters and numerous ambulances were at the scene, and firefighting operations were continuing into Wednesday morning as crews worked to fully extinguish the blaze and assess the structural damage.
Police said there was no danger to the wider public, though they advised residents to avoid the area because of smoke drifting from the scene.
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What we know
- Official · police An explosion and fire hit a multi-family apartment building in Regensburg at around 04:00 on Wednesday, police said.
- Official · fire services At least four people were injured, some seriously, and three others were reported missing by fire services.
- Official · police Police suspect a gas explosion, noting the building had a gas supply, though the cause is not yet confirmed.
- 2+ outlets · WELT, Stern +1 The damaged building and two neighbouring properties were declared at risk of collapse and sealed off.
- 2+ outlets · WELT, Stern +1 Twenty-seven residents of the three buildings were temporarily housed in a guesthouse while authorities sought longer-term accommodation.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Whether the three missing people were inside the building at the time of the explosion has not been confirmed.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The explosion left 27 people without a home and shut off part of the neighbourhood while the cause is established, fire services said. Both buildings next to the one that exploded were also declared structurally unsafe, showing how quickly a single gas blast can put an entire street out of use. Investigators had not said by Wednesday morning when they expected to confirm whether a gas leak caused the blast, or how soon displaced residents might be able to return to their homes.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
- WELT: Brand in Regensburg: Polizei vermutet Gasexplosion
- Stern: Mehrere Verletzte: Brand in Regensburg: Polizei vermutet Gasexplosion als Ursache
- WELT: Explosion und Brand in Regensburg: Mehrere Verletzte
- Zeit Online: Mehrere Verletzte: Explosion in Regensburg: Verletzte und drei Vermisste
- WELT: Explosion in Regensburg: Verletzte und drei Vermisste
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What happened in Regensburg?
- An explosion and fire hit an apartment building in the early hours of Wednesday, injuring at least four people and leaving three reported missing, police said.
- What caused the explosion?
- The cause is not yet confirmed, but police suspect a gas explosion, noting the building had a gas supply.
- Were people evacuated?
- Yes. Twenty-seven residents of the affected building and two neighbouring properties, which were also declared at risk of collapse, were moved to a guesthouse.
This article was written with AI assistance from 5 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.