Gas explosion in suburb of Buenos Aires injures at least 20

An explosion occurred on Friday in the Buenos Aires suburb of Remedios de Escalada, injuring at least twenty people, five of them critically. The incident took place at a busy intersection in the municipality of Lanús, south of the capital, during repairs to the gas distribution network commissioned by Metrogas. A tunnelling machine inadvertently damaged a medium-pressure pipe, leading to a leak and subsequent explosion.

Flames engulfed homes, businesses, and vehicles, with at least three businesses sustaining significant damage. Emergency crews evacuated the affected area, and firefighters worked to control the blaze. Metrogas personnel managed to temporarily seal one end of the damaged pipe, while the other end was sealed to stop the gas supply.

Once both ends were sealed, the leak was reduced and ultimately stopped, allowing firefighters to extinguish the flames. The injured were taken to local acute care hospitals. The blast caused extensive structural damage, including to a shop remarkably destroyed both front and interior. Authorities warned of potential structural collapses, leading to the closure of surrounding streets.