Accidents
Four dead in explosion at reservoir in Italy
The hydroelectric power station at the Suviana reservoir after an explosion. photo
© vigili del fuoco/dpa
Accident at a hydroelectric power station near Bologna: At least four workers are killed. The authorities fear that the death toll will increase.
At least four workers were killed in an explosion at a hydroelectric power station on a reservoir in northern Italy on Tuesday. The authorities feared in the evening that the death toll in the facility at the Suviana reservoir between the cities of Bologna and Florence could increase: several hours after The accident, which occurred around 3 p.m., left three employees missing. At least five workers suffered burn injuries.
According to initial findings, a fire broke out in the facility during work on a turbine at a depth of around 30 meters for an initially unknown reason, which then led to the explosion. As a result of the explosion, water also entered the power plant, it was said. The dam itself – about two kilometers away – was not affected. The fire department had great difficulty getting to the scene of the accident due to heavy smoke.
Level minus nine
The mayor of the nearby municipality of Camougnano, Marco Masinara, reported work on the turbines inside the building. The accident occurred well below the water level at level minus nine. The electricity supplier Enel, which owns the power plant, confirmed the accident without providing further details.
The fire brigade was on duty with more than 40 helpers and also several helicopters. The provincial commander of the Bologna fire department, Calogero Turturici, told TV station E-TV: “There is a lot of smoke. We are having difficulty getting into the premises.” The area was also flooded with water. When asked about the cause, Turturici said: “If the scene of the accident is not accessible, it is difficult to put forward one hypothesis or another.”
The lake is located in a regional park in the Apennines at an altitude of almost 500 meters. It was created by the construction of a dam between 1928 and 1932. The area is also very popular with hikers.