A total of seven dead

Explosion at power plant: more bodies recovered

On Thursday, the bodies of three of the missing workers were recovered by emergency services (pictured: firefighters).(Bild: Associated Press)

The number of fatalities following the violent explosion at an Italian hydroelectric power plant on Lake Suviana in the Apennines near Bologna on Tuesday - as reported by krone.at - has risen to seven: On Thursday, the bodies of three of the missing workers were recovered, then on Friday that of the last missing victim.

According to the authorities, the seventh victim is a 68-year-old from Naples. The operator of the plant, Enel Green Power, has made two million euros available to the families of the victims. The company emphasized that it would do everything in its power to support the families of the victims and the injured.

A missing person is still being sought.(Bild: Associated Press)

Explosion could be heard for miles
The exact cause of the accident is still unclear. What is certain is that the explosion occurred during work on a turbine about 30 meters below the water level. Witnesses reported a loud bang that could still be heard many kilometers away. As a result of the explosion damage, a lot of water entered the plant, making the rescue work more difficult. Initially, the power plant was also covered in thick smoke.

As a result of the explosion damage, a lot of water entered the plant, which made the rescue work more difficult. Initially, the power plant was also covered in thick smoke.(Bild: twitter.com/vigilidelfuoco)

Power production was interrupted
Water drones and divers were used in the search. The dam itself - around two kilometers away from the hydroelectric power plant - was not affected. The explosion interrupted electricity production, but according to the operating company, this had no major impact on the region's power supply. The power plant supplies both the Emilia Romagna region and Tuscany.

The dead recovered were workers who were employed by subcontractors. Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power, the direct operator of the hydroelectric power plant, emphasized that the best companies had been selected to work on the turbines.

Inspection of contracts announced
The public prosecutor of Bologna, Giuseppe Amato, announced that he would have checks carried out on contracts and subcontracts; a group of experts had already been set up for this purpose. A large demonstration for more safety at work took place in Bologna on Thursday.

Strike for more safety at work
On Thursday, an eight-hour strike took place in the Emilia Romagna region, where the hydroelectric power plant is located, in which workers demanded more safety at work. Labor Minister Marina Elvira Calderone declared that the Italian government would do more to ensure safety at work.