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Fire at Austria’s main gas hub: One dead, 18 hurt

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VIENNA/LONDON: An explosion and fire that ripped through Austria’s main gas pipeline hub on Tuesday killed one person and injured at least 18 others, prompting Italy to declare a state of emergency as flows from the strategic site were cut off.


The Baumgarten site in eastern Austria, near Slovakia, is a major regional transfer node, taking natural gas from as far away as Russia and pumping it towards neighbours including Germany and Italy, its biggest recipient.


News of the blast sent gas prices in Europe soaring on fears it would restrict supply as winter sets in.


Gas Connect Austria, which operates site, said the hub had been shut down but the blaze had been brought under control. The cause appeared to be a technical fault, it said.


“An explosion occurred this morning before 900 am (0800 GMT) on the grounds of the Baumgarten Natural Gas Station,” the company said. “The explosion caused a serious fire that has been contained to several small fires.”


Footage on social and other media showed a column of fire in the distance rising from a flat landscape. A wide area around the site was cordoned off.


The fire brigade, police and Gas Connect Austria said one person had been killed. A fire brigade spokesman said 18 people were injured, one of them seriously. — Reuters


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