Gas blast in Izmayil city cafe injures more than 15

Monday, January 12, 2015 - 10:12 (EET) Section: Latest news

A powerful blast rocked a downtown cafe in Izmayil, a city in Odesa region, last Sunday afternoon.
Timer online news media reports the explosion occurred at around 15.45 at the Fountain cafe, located between Pobeda movie theater and a school near the Holy Protection cathedral. The building was devastated by raging fire that injured people.
“The explosion injured about 15 persons. Three of the victims who sustained burns of over 50% of their bodies were taken to the intensive care unit. About ten people suffered less severe injuries while the uncertain number of people sustained minor injuries and shock,” the statement said.
According to the witnesses’ accounts, the hardest hit were kitchen staff who were working in the kitchen at the time of the blast.
Firemen consider a faulty gas tank in the kitchen as the most likely cause of the explosion.
According to the police representatives, criminal proceedings will be launched based on the fact of the explosion. Cafe managers are likely to be responsible for the gas safety violations.
The report provides notes about the Fountain cafe. Its building is listed as a local attraction of the southern port city on the Danube river near the Romanian border, 240 kilometers southwest of Odesa. It was built in 1906 and has recently undergone complete renovation.