One dead, six injured after gas explosion

  • 2014-07-07
  • From wire reports, LIEPAJA

A man has died after suffering serious injuries in a gas explosion in Latvia.

Seven people were hospitalized on Saturday, June 5 after a gas explosion at a home in Liepaja. The injured included two men, three women and two children.

The children and two women have been discharged from hospital, whilst the third woman is still recovering, LETA reports.

The man who died suffered third degree burns and was rushed to the intensive care unit in Liepaja regional hospital. 

Latvijas Gaze spokesman Vinsents Makaris said an illegal gas connection was behind the blast; whilst the apartment had its central gas service cut off in 2008.

Another reason behind the explosion could be a suicide attempt, Latvian Television reports.

Latvian State Fire and Rescue Service representative Mursals Kirimovs indicated that an unnamed man supposedly threatened to kill himself.

"He waited for the gas to accumulate, therefore the explosion was so huge," a spokesman for the State Fire and Rescue Service said.

Construction experts concluded the inspection process yesterday, saying that the building had not been damaged and that residents are not endangered. They have received permission to return to their apartments. A criminal process has been initiated.

See photos of the explosion here