A powerful explosion in an apartment in Elbasan has left behind fear, major damage, and shaken residents. Testimonies from the scene speak of a strong blast that shook the building, while the initial version from the ground indicates that several people suffered asphyxia.
Residents: The explosion was like a bomb
Residents of the area describe the explosion as extremely powerful. One of them, who lives in the neighboring building, said the noise sounded like a bomb and that the shock was immediately felt in the surrounding buildings.
Other residents said their homes shook violently and that in the first moments no one understood what had happened. According to testimonies at the scene, the damage appears considerable and the images caused panic in the neighborhood.
“My son was screaming for help,” says affected resident
One of the affected residents said he came out with injuries, claiming that the balcony door fell on his head. He said his son was coming back from school and was asking for help, while he himself was unable to get out.
According to him, he eventually jumped from the balcony. The resident also claims that the financial damage to the home amounts to as much as 80 million lek and that he had spent money on the house again not long ago.
Collapsed walls and stairs, difficult terrain for intervention
Residents’ testimonies indicate that the explosion caused the collapse of walls and the building’s stairs. One local resident said that when they arrived near the apartment block, they saw that part of it had collapsed.
According to them, the road and the narrow space made it difficult for emergency vehicles to move. Police and firefighters went to the scene.
Initial reports speak of residents suffering asphyxia
Initial information from the incident points to eight residents suffering asphyxia after the apartment explosion. At this stage, witnesses from the area said they did not have complete information on the number of injured.
The incident has raised questions about the level of safety in the building and the circumstances that led to the explosion, while there is still uncertainty on the ground about the exact causes.
Elbasan has been confronted with a grave scene, where residents’ accounts highlight the human consequences of the explosion more than any clarity about the causes.
So far, what emerges from the scene is a heavy toll of damage and panic, while answers about what happened remain unclear.