A powerful explosion shook central Gjirokastër on Saturday evening, when a Mercedes-Benz vehicle exploded while moving on “18 Shtatori” boulevard. Two people inside the vehicle were injured, while the police’s preliminary version points to the use of explosive material, TNT.
The explosion in the heart of the city
The incident was recorded at around 10:00 p.m. on one of the city’s central arteries. According to police, the vehicle was being driven by Beqir Devolli, while the passenger was Rigels Mela.
After the explosion, the car went out of control and ended up on the traffic divider, in front of the Gjirokastër Local Police Directorate and near the court. The loud blast was heard across a large part of the city and caused panic among local residents.
Two injured, one in serious condition
Both people inside the vehicle were injured in the explosion and were taken to hospital. Official sources confirm that Beqir Devolli is in serious condition in intensive care.
Rigels Mela, according to the same official version, is out of danger for his life. At this stage, there is no complete public information on the injuries or the exact dynamics of the explosion inside the vehicle.
Preliminary suspicions and the shadow of an earlier episode
Investigators preliminarily suspect that the possible target of the attack may have been Rigels Mela. This remains at the level of an initial suspicion and has not yet been accompanied by full explanations from the authorities.
Mela’s name also returns to attention in connection with an episode from April 2025, when his vehicle was engulfed in flames after an explosion. The circumstances of that incident were not publicly clarified, and for the moment there is no official confirmation of a direct link between the two cases.
What police say
Police have confirmed the use of explosive material and say work is under way to determine the quantity of TNT. The investigative team is at the scene, engaged in fully documenting the episode and identifying possible perpetrators.
The fact that the explosion happened just a few meters from key law enforcement and justice institutions makes questions even sharper about security in the area and the preventive capacity of state structures. For the moment, the perpetrators have not been identified.
The investigation remains active, while many key elements of the incident — from the quantity of explosive material to the exact target of the attack — have still not been publicly clarified.
The incident brings renewed attention to a recurring problem: explosions involving explosive material in urban areas, with serious consequences and with an institutional response that often remains behind events.