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Major fire breaks out after van explodes in central Milan

A large fire has broken out in Milan city centre following the explosion of a van parked on the street, emergency services confirmed.

Published: 11 May 2023 13:25 CEST
Major fire breaks out after van explodes in central Milan
File photo courtesy of Vigili del Fuoco (Italian fire brigade)

The blaze was reported on Thursday afternoon in the central Porta Romana area on the corner of Via Pier Lombardo and Via Vasari, where about a dozen parked vehicles reportedly caught fire following the blast.

Local police believe that the explosion was triggered by oxygen cylinders inside the van or a nearby vehicle, reported Sky TG24.

A large black cloud “tens of meters high” was visible from many areas of the city immediately after the explosion, Sky TG24 reported.

Milan Mayor Beppe Sala ruled out any question of a terrorist attack or events of a similar nature.

“It’s a van carrying oxygen cylinders,” he told reporters as he arrived on the scene.

“At the moment they’re reporting an injured person, albeit seriously, who I believe is the driver, but there’s no other damage.”

Footage published by the fire service suggested a powerful blast, showing what it said were about a dozen parked cars that had been completely burned out.

On the street between them, several canisters were visible next to the remains of a destroyed vehicle.

Buildings in the immediate vicinity were evacuated, including a school, while damage was reported to a nearby pharmacy and two apartments.

A fire service spokesman at the scene confirmed the van had been carrying oxygen and that one person was injured, the driver.

He said the cause of the blast was being investigated.

Another fire service spokesman earlier told AFP the person suffered injuries to the arms and legs, and said all buildings in the immediate vicinity had been evacuated.

One local resident told SkyTG24 his car and motorbike had been destroyed in the blaze.

“I entered the building to retrieve my cats, but there was too much smoke,” he said.

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STRIKES

What to expect from Italy’s nationwide rail strike on Sunday

Train passengers in Italy may face disruption on Sunday, May 19th as staff at railway operators including Trenitalia and Italo plan a 23-hour strike.

Published: 15 May 2024 10:33 CEST
What to expect from Italy’s nationwide rail strike on Sunday

Passengers travelling across Italy by train may face delays or cancellations this weekend as staff at state-owned railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato – which includes Trenitalia, Trenord and Trenitalia Tper – and private company Italo plan to strike from 3am on Sunday, May 19th  to 2am on Monday, May 20th, for a total of 23 hours.

The walkout was called by the PdM/PdB transport union in mid-April to demand the renewal of collective labour agreements in the rail transport sector.

The planned protest is expected to affect all types of rail travel, from long-distance services to regional and local ones, with the overall level of disruption expected to vary by city and operator.

While rail companies are legally required to guarantee the operation of a number of minimum services (servizi minimi) during strikes taking place on weekdays, there’s no such requirement for weekend walkouts.

This means that operators are free to decide whether or not to guarantee services for passengers.

Trenitalia 

National rail operator Trenitalia said in a statement that their services “may experience cancellations or changes” for the entire length of the strike, though the protest may also “result in service variations both before its start and after its end”. 

Trenitalia said it will operate a number of long-distance services during the walkout. These are available here.

READ ALSO: The transport strikes that will hit travel in Italy in May 2024

The operator advises passengers planning to travel on Sunday to check the status of their journey via the InfomobilitĂ  section of their website, their mobile app, or by calling toll-free number 800 89 20 21.

Italo

Staff at private long-distance operator Italo are also expected to take part in the protest according to a statement from Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), which owns and manages all of Italy’s railway network.

It was unclear at the time of writing exactly how the strike would impact the operator’s services, but delays and/or cancellations could not be ruled out.

Italo said it will guarantee the operation of a number of long-distance services during the walkout. You can find them highlighted in green in this table.

For further information, you can contact Italo’s support centre at 892 020.

Trenord

Trenord, which operates a number of regional trains in the Lombardy region, including connections to and from Milan’s Malpensa Airport, said that the walkout “may have repercussions” on all of their scheduled services.

Trenord will not operate minimum services during the strike. However, should airport link services be cancelled, replacement buses will run the same routes. 

See Trenord’s website or app for the latest updates.

Trenitalia Tper

Trenitalia Tper, which operates a number of trains in the Emilia-Romagna region, said that their services “may experience changes or cancellations” due to the walkout. 

The operator hasn’t yet provided any information regarding possible guaranteed services.

See their website for the latest updates.

What to do if your train is cancelled

If a pre-booked rail service is cancelled due to strike action in Italy, passengers are normally allowed to travel on other equivalent services or are entitled to a refund.

Passengers travelling with Trenitalia can request a refund either at the station or by completing this web form, whereas Italo generally issues refunds automatically.

Keep up with the latest updates in The Local’s strike news section.

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