BUCHAREST, ROMANIA – A sudden explosion at the Dedeman home improvement store in Botosani, Romania, injured 15 individuals on Friday. Local authorities reported that four out of the 15 casualties were in severe condition and required immediate medical attention.
Emergency medical services immediately dispatched an intensive care unit to the incident site in Suceava County. After initial medical evaluation, four victims were critical, with two needing intubation. Currently, seven of the wounded are undergoing treatment in a local hospital, while eight have been allowed to return home after emergency care.
Authorities activated emergency helicopters and sent two fire trucks and two ambulances to respond to the fire caused by the explosion, besides initiating a search and rescue operation within the store premises.
Following the mishap, Dedeman issued a statement revealing that an authorized external company was handling its Botosani store’s gas supply system at the time of the explosion, which happened around 10:30 a.m. The cause of the explosion and the identification of the injured remain unknown.
Critical victims were rapidly transported to hospitals in Iasi and Bucharest for swift and advanced medical intervention. The Ministry of Health noted that certain casualties suffered burns across 10-15% of the upper parts of their bodies.
Emergency authority footage of the incident area highlighted the extensive structural damage inflicted by the explosion with part of the building’s facade blown away. Scattered air-conditioning units and debris littered the vicinity outside the store.
Dedeman expressed its commitment to prioritize the care and support required by all affected by this incident through a Facebook post. The company also extended its gratitude to the emergency service teams for their timely response and professional dealing with the crisis.