Explosion in an apartment under renovation leaves worker with serious burns

[Photo; Julie Ann Manzano]

Neighbors in an apartment building in Taipa heard an explosion yesterday morning.

Upon deployment to the location, the Fire Services Bureau (CB) reported that the explosion was related to an incident during the renovation of an apartment unit in the building.

According to the report, the explosion and the fire that followed left a worker on site with extensive burns to the face, hands, and feet.

The incident occurred on the 24th floor of a building block of Nova Taipa Gardens, on Rua de Bragança.

According to CB, the injured worker is a 65-year-old local resident who was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition.

Firemen added that the explosion was suspected to have been caused by a leak of flammable gas in the unit. According to a statement obtained from the injured worker, he had noticed an odor in the unit that was potentially related to a gas leak.

The explosion occurred while the worker was using an electric tool, and it is suspected that a spark from the tool ignited the flammable gas.

Further inspection by CB of the unit found that all its windows were damaged, and some of the furniture was also affected by the fire; most of the apartment’s walls and ceiling were blackened by smoke.

The incident occurred around 9 a.m. yesterday and led to the evacuation of around 30 residents from the building.

The Social Welfare Bureau has also deployed staff to follow up on the situation, but according to the department, no residents have requested temporary accommodation.