Four family members, including two young children, tragically lost their lives in a gas explosion in southern Italy.
The explosion, which occurred in the town of Saviano, near Naples, caused part of their two-storey home to collapse.
The victims included two siblings, a boy and a girl, along with their mother and grandmother.
The father and a newborn baby were rescued alive from the rubble by Italian firefighters.
While the father remains in serious condition at a Naples hospital, the baby’s injuries are reported to be non-life-threatening, according to local media.
The Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s fire service, explained that the family lived on one floor of the house, while the grandmother occupied the upper level.
In a statement, the fire service shared the heartbreaking news: “Firefighters recovered the father and a newborn baby alive, entrusting them to the care of health workers, but tragically, the two children were found lifeless.”
The explosion occurred early in the morning at around 07:00 local time (06:00 BST).
The children’s bodies were found alongside their father, and rescue teams spent the day searching for the mother.
She was recovered from the rubble later in the afternoon.
Rescuers, using sniffer dogs, continued their efforts into the night, locating the grandmother at 01:00.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion, with early indications pointing to a gas leak.
More than 60 civil protection volunteers joined the rescue mission.
The Campania regional authority shared images of the destruction, showing firefighters working through the debris, while drone footage revealed significant damage to the building, with large holes visible in the collapsed roof.
The tragedy has left the local community in shock as investigations into the exact cause of the disaster continue.
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