Rescuers are searching for survivors in Sicily after the blast

By Antonio Parrinello and Francesca Landini

RAVANUSA, Italy (Reuters) – Rescuers plan to work overnight in the Sicilian town of Ravanusa to try to find survivors of an alleged gas explosion that killed at least three people.

Two people were found alive under the rubble and six were missing, authorities said on Sunday.

“We still have two great friends down there, we are praying to God that he will come out well,” Lillo Cavallaro, a local resident, told Reuters.

Four houses collapsed and three others were damaged in an explosion on Saturday night, authorities said, adding that the explosion was caused by a gas leak from pipes in the village, although an investigation was underway to clarify the reason.

The operator of the Italgas gas network expressed its sorrow and condolences to the people of Ravanusa. His emergency services said he had not received any reports of gas emissions last week.

“The Ravanusa distribution network was fully inspected in 2020 and 2021,” the company said, adding that there was no construction site on the damaged part of the pipeline.

Residents of the 11,000-strong village on Sunday saw firefighters and civilian rescue workers trying to find survivors.

“It’s a small town and everyone knows each other,” said Arcangelo D’Angelo, a 69-year-old pensioner, who added that he knew missing people. “What we’re experiencing here is an unimaginable drama and we have no words.”

Ravanusa is located near the city of Agrigento in southwestern Sicily, famous for its Greek temple.