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Sunday 14th January 2018
News > National
Sunday 14th January 2018
News > National
Gendarmerie Repubblicana have cordoned off the area around 21. Novembre metro station in Timiocato / Photo credit: APR
BREAKING: Blasts reported at Timiocato metro station
Police calling the incident suspicious and "very serious", a "multiple casualty event"
Reporting for PBC News
Egidio Farnetto
TIMIOCATO — Afternoon explosions have been reported at one of Timiocato's busiest metro stations, resulting in "multiple fatalities" and an extensive police cordon, PBC News has learned.
At least three blasts occurred underground at the 21. Novembre station in the Timiocato borough of Aquilina shortly before 3.00pm.
Witnesses report hearing an initial blast, followed by two stronger explosions a few seconds later. Police have blocked off a one-kilometre radius around the station and have closed the adjacent Rondello 21. Novembre, a major roundabout which contains the historic landmark Arco del Triunfo.
Police have not released an official statement but a source within the Gendarmerie Repubblicana says multiple bodies have already been recovered and that emergency services are treating hundreds of wounded. The GR are also reporting a partial collapse of the structure underground, with at least two station entrances now impassable. The explosions were strong enough to bring down the façades of a couple of nearby buildings and shatter storefront windows.
Smoke continues to billow out of ventilation shafts and station entrances and is reportedly so thick it has completely obscured the sun. Witnesses say it looks like the middle of the night in the area.
There is no word yet on the cause of the blasts, according to investigators, though speculation has immediately pointed to terrorism or to far-right supporters of former archonal candidate Carmine Bello, who fled the country in September.
The station is the fifth busiest in the Timiocato metro system and is a major connecting station. It handles over 10 million passengers a day between its eight subway and two commuter rail lines and runs under one of the Pacitalian capital's busiest shopping districts.
Prime Minister Maurizio Conte has declared a preliminary state of emergency in Capitale and PBC News is awaiting a statement. A press conference has been scheduled for 5.00pm.
More to come...
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Copyright © 2018 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation • http://www.pbc.pc/news/national/331994141/