Gas boiler exploded in a house in Bankya

A strong explosion occurred in Bankya (near Sofia) on January 24, with initial reports indicating that a gas boiler in a private house exploded. Following the blast, a fire broke out.

The police said that they are searching for two individuals - a man and a woman. Rescue teams with police dogs are searching for people who may have been inside the building at the time.

"As of now, we have no information about victims, but given the ongoing safety operations, I cannot rule out the possibility of finding some," said Lyubomir Nikolov, Director of the Sofia Directorate of the Ministry of Interior (SDVR).

Five firefighting teams and ambulances have arrived at the scene. The fire has been extinguished.

A representative from the gas supplier company, "Overgas," explained that the explosion likely occurred due to a gas leak in the house.

The gas supply in the area has been shut off, and it has been confirmed that the gas is not toxic. Some nearby properties have sustained damage, but there is no risk of collapse. There is also no threat of environmental contamination.

The police have secured the area, no members of the public are being allowed through.

The director of the fire fighting department, Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov, also confirmed that there were no reports of any injuries at the moment.

"At 11:27 a.m., we received a report of a fire and explosion at a house. When our colleagues arrived on the scene, they found that as a result of these incidents, two houses, which are adjacent, were affected—one two-story and one four-story. The two-story house is significantly damaged. There was also a gas-fed fire from the connecting pipelines, but it has been extinguished now," explained Chief Commissioner Dzhartov.