Two People Killed In Building Explosion In Madrid City Center

Illustration. (Stephen Radford / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - At least two people were killed and eight others injured when a building in the center of Madrid, Spain, belonging to the Catholic Church was destroyed by an explosion on Wednesday January 20 local time, authorities said.

According to Reuters, one of the victims was seriously injured and transferred to hospital. Meanwhile, Church officials said a church volunteer was missing.

"Initial investigations show that the explosion on Calle Toledo, the exit from the city center, was caused by a gas leak," said Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida.

Previously reported, smoke rose from the partially collapsed building and rescue workers evacuated the elderly from a nearby nursing home.

The top five floors were completely destroyed, with the walls destroyed, while the bottom two floors were largely intact, but charred in several places by the fire.

"The building is a complex that provides residential training for priests and also provides food for the homeless," said a neighbor.