Saviano, Italy - September 22, 2024

In a heart-wrenching incident early September 22nd morning, a suspected gas explosion led to the catastrophic collapse of a two-story residence in Saviano, claiming the lives of four members of a single family, including two young children.

The explosion, which occurred shortly after 7 AM, involved a family of five and an elderly woman living on the upper floor. The Vigili del Fuoco, Italy's fire service, reported that amidst the rubble, they managed to rescue the father and a newborn baby alive, while tragically, two children, a boy and a girl, were found deceased.

Rescue operations, intensified by the urgency to find the missing mother and grandmother, were conducted with specialized USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) teams and sniffer dogs. By 4:45 PM, the lifeless body of one of the women was recovered, and the search continued into the night for the grandmother, who was sadly found deceased by 1:15 AM the following day.

The community of Saviano is in mourning, grappling with the sudden loss of life and the destruction of a family home. The exact cause of the gas explosion is under investigation, but preliminary assessments point towards a gas leak as the likely culprit.

This tragic event has reignited discussions on residential safety and the maintenance of gas installations, particularly in older buildings. The local authorities have promised a thorough investigation to prevent such incidents in the future, while the community rallies around the surviving family members, offering support in this time of profound grief.