The current toll from the explosion in a five-story apartment building in Elbasan remains severe: an 83-year-old woman has lost her life, 10 people have been taken to hospital, and a 69-year-old man is still missing, according to a statement by Mayor Gledian Llatja.
Preliminary toll of the incident
According to the version made public by the Mayor of Elbasan, the explosion caused major damage to the structure of the building and serious consequences for residents.
He said that 10 people were transported to hospital for medical assistance and checkups, while the search continues for a 69-year-old man who has not yet been located.
Severe damage to the building’s structure
According to the same official version, the explosion seriously damaged the structure of the five-story building. It is reported that the fourth floor collapsed onto the third floor.
The connecting staircase from the third floor to the fifth floor was also damaged, making intervention and a full inspection of the building even more problematic.
Fire is suspected to have started on the third floor
In the statement to the media, it was said that at the moment of the explosion there was initially a fire on the third floor, which then spread.
An 83-year-old woman, who was on the fifth floor of the building, lost her life in the incident. The full circumstances of the explosion and its cause remain to be clarified through the relevant checks.
Part of the building is considered uninhabitable
According to the mayor’s statement, one section of the building has become uninhabitable, while the problems are not limited only to that area.
He acknowledged that other parts of the building also present problems, raising serious questions about the building’s overall safety after the explosion.
The incident has left behind not only victims and injured people, but also an unclear situation regarding the building’s actual condition and the scale of the danger for residents.
So far, public information on the case is based on official statements by local authorities, while the search for the 69-year-old continues.