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Italy declares state of emergency after deadly gas explosion in Austria Italy declares state of emergency after deadly gas explosion in Austria
(about 3 hours later)
A deadly explosion and fire that ripped through Austria’s main gas pipeline hub has caused Italy to declare a state of emergency due to a lack of supplies. Snow-hit southern Europe could face energy shortages after authorities warned that Austrian pipelines are likely to be out of action for days following an explosion and fire that ripped through a main gas hub near Vienna.
One person was killed and 18 injured in the blast on Tuesday in Baumgarten, eastern Austria. Baumgarten, where the explosion occurred, is a key distribution and reception hub for gas exports and imports, including from Russia, Europe’s biggest gas supplier. In Italy, where rain, snow and extreme cold weather have disrupted traffic in the north-east over the last few days, the country’s industry minister declared a state of emergency due to a lack of gas supplies.
A police spokesman said: “There was an explosion around 8:45am (0745 GMT) and a fire. A wide area has been sealed off and there are expected to be several injured.” One person was killed and 18 injured in the blast on Tuesday. One of the casualties was airlifted to Vienna’s general hospital with serious injuries but was later confirmed to be in a non-critical condition.
A police spokesman said: “There was an explosion around 8:45am and a fire. A wide area has been sealed off and there are expected to be several injured.”
In Britain, Europe’s biggest gas market, gas for immediate delivery rose 35% to 92p per therm, its highest level for four years.In Britain, Europe’s biggest gas market, gas for immediate delivery rose 35% to 92p per therm, its highest level for four years.
Gas Connect Austria, which operates the Baumgarten site, said the blaze had been brought under control. Police said the cause was technical in origin. Austrian police said the explosion in Baumgarten, which is north east of Vienna, had been caused by a technical problem. Fire services worked until the early afternoon to put out fires started by the blast. The chassis of several cars parked on the site were melted by the heat of the explosion.
Footage on social and other media showed a column of flames rising from the site.
The hub is important for European gas transit, with natural gas transported to Baumgarten through Slovakia and Germany along several pipelines. Gas flows are then delivered throughout Europe via Austria’s transmission network. Natural gas is transported to Baumgarten through Slovakia and Germany along several pipelines. Gas flows are then delivered throughout Europe via Austria’s transmission network.
Gas Connect Austria said deliveries to Austria’s southern and south-eastern borders would be affected until further notice. The hub’s operator, Gas Connect, said that Austria’s gas supply was secured “for the foreseeable future” but conceded that deliveries to the country’s southern and southeastern borders would be affected until further notice.
Italy’s industry minister said the country must grapple with a “serious” energy supply problem. The Vienna-based gas company estimated that it would take “days, not hours” to restore supply lines, according to Der Standard newspaper.
Slovakia’s main gas transit route to Austria was suspended after the fire, said the Slovak pipeline operator, Eustream.
Russia’s Gazprom Export said it was trying to redirect gas flows and secure uninterrupted supplies. Carlo Calenda, the Italian industry minister, said the country must grapple with a serious energy supply problem and
Gas prices elsewhere in Europe soared on concerns about supply. underlined the need to develop the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). The project is designed to give Italy a new supply route but has been delayed by protests.
The Italian wholesale day-ahead price surged 97% to a record high of €47 per megawatt-hour. “If we had had the TAP, we would not have to declare a state of emergency,” Calenda told Reuters.
The Italian wholesale day-ahead price surged 97% to a record high of €47 per megawatt hour. Gas prices elsewhere in Europe soared on concerns about supply.
Other countries directly affected include Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The Moscow-based gas supplier Gazprom PJSC said it “is working on redistribution of gas flows and does its best to secure uninterrupted gas supplies to the clients on this transport direction”.
The volume of gas passing westwards through Ukraine, the main transit country for Russian gas, was reduced by a third as a result of the blast.
Slovakia’s main gas transit route to Austria was suspended after the fire, the Slovak pipeline operator Eustream said.
“As a result of the event in Austria... we adjusted the transit regime in our network to fully secure its safety and suspended transit to Baumgarten,” a spokesman said.