Deadly Explosion Rocks Bucharest Apartment Block, Three Killed and Dozens Injured

A powerful explosion ripped through an apartment building in Bucharest’s Sector 5 on Friday, leaving three people dead and at least 13 others injured, according to Romanian authorities. The blast tore apart the fifth and sixth floors of the eight-storey residential block on Calea Rahovei, scattering debris across the street and damaging nearby buildings.

Emergency officials said more than a dozen vehicles, including 11 fire engines and four mobile intensive care units, were rushed to the scene. The Inspectorate for Emergency Situations confirmed that the gas supply in the area was immediately shut off as a precaution, though the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

Romania’s Ministry of Health reported that several victims suffered polytrauma and burns, with at least 13 people transported to hospitals across the capital. Later in the day, rescuers discovered one victim’s body trapped beneath a collapsed concrete slab on the sixth floor.

Authorities evacuated all residents from the building, while search-and-rescue teams combed through the wreckage to ensure no one remained trapped inside. As a further precaution, students and teachers from a nearby school were also evacuated, the city’s School Inspectorate confirmed.

Footage released by emergency services showed the facades of corner apartments completely mangled, with windows blown out and rubble littering the street below. Officials said the force of the blast was so strong that it also damaged a neighboring apartment block, where parts of the facade had detached.

The explosion has raised fresh concerns about building safety and gas infrastructure in Romania, where several similar incidents have occurred in recent years. Authorities have pledged a full investigation to determine the cause and assess whether safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.

For now, the focus remains on supporting the injured and displaced residents, as emergency crews continue to secure the site and assess the structural stability of the building.