A major explosion in one of Europe’s largest gas pipeline hubs in eastern Austria killed one person and injured at least 21 on Tuesday, the BBC reported.
Authorities said the blast at Baumgarten – a major distribution hub for gas imports from Russia and Norway – led to a fire.
The Austrian Police said on Twitter that a technical fault had caused the explosion, and an official investigation has begun. The police cordoned off the area.
“The installation has been brought under control and operations have been suspended there,” Armin Teichert, spokesperson for Austria’s Gas Connect service, was quoted as saying.
Some unconfirmed reports said nearly 60 people were injured.
After the explosion, Italy declared a state of emergency for gas, Bloomberg reported. The announcement hit energy markets across the continent. OMV AG, the oil company that controls the Baumgarten gas hub, said it would take days to restore output, the report said.
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