A powerful explosion occurred in an apartment building on Ofanleiti in Reykjavík yesterday morning. One person was taken to Landspítali national hospital in a critical condition. The man suffered extensive burns and is being kept unconscious on a ventilator. It is not yet known what caused the explosion.
View of Landspítali and Hallgrímskirkja. Photo by Dagbjört Oddný Matthíasdóttir.
Glass was scattered over a large area including the playground opposite the apartment block. People have been asked to temporarily move away from the area due to toxic fumes, ruv.is reports.
According to fire marshal Jón Viðar Mattíasson at the capital area fire department, the explosion is one of the largest he has seen in a very long time, visir.is.
The fire did however not spread to other apartments or into the stairwell but residents have been asked not to enter the building. The Red Cross was on hand to assist residents.
ZR
