A large explosion has damaged a building in the centre of the Czech capital Prague.

[David Guyatt]

Said to be a gas leak...

Powerful blast rocks central Prague

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4686[/ATTACH]
The blast happened at around 10:00 (08:00 GMT) this morning in Prague's historic centre


A large explosion has damaged a building in the centre of the Czech capital Prague.


The area around the explosion in Divadelni St has been sealed off by police. Up to 40 people have been injured by the blast, emergency services say, four of them seriously.


Prague's mayor told Czech radio three people may be trapped in the rubble.


Police say that the blast, which blew the windows out of nearby buildings, was most likely caused by a gas leak.




Dozens of people have been injured following the explosion in the centre of the Prague
The site of the explosion is close to the Vltava river, and near the country's National Theatre.


Neighbouring buildings have been evacuated.


A police spokesman said that there had been about 15 people in the building, which included an office of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and an art gallery, Reuters news agency reports.


The building also housed a film school and the social sciences faculty of the city's Charles University.


"We heard a strong explosion and we felt the building tremble and the windows shake," eyewitness Jaroslav Faltus told the BBC.

[Magda Hassan]

There was a building or half a building blown up in France some where too. Possibly a gas leak. Maybe some thing else. Peter may be able to tell us more about it when he gets here.

[Peter Lemkin]

Wow! I heard the blast, though I'm fairly far from the location. Will see what local media has to say and report...or go with the dog to check it out myself..... When I heard it, I thought someone was just doing controlled blasting, as they are building an underground 'ring road' under Prague. Guess not.

[Peter Lemkin]

Associated Press
Published Monday, April 29, 2013 5:58AM EDT
Last Updated Monday, April 29, 2013 7:57AM EDT

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- A powerful explosion badly damaged an office building in the centre of the Czech capital Monday, injuring up to 40 people. Authorities believe people may still be buried in the rubble.

It was not certain what caused the blast in Divadelni Street, in Prague's Old Town, at about 10 a.m., but it was likely a natural gas explosion, police spokesman Tomas Hulan said. Tourists at the famed Charles Bridge also felt the blast.

The street was covered with rubble and was sealed off by police who also evacuated people from nearby buildings and closed a wide area around the explosion site.
Photos

Injured people leave a scene of an explosion in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, Monday, April 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Zdenek Schwarz, head of the rescue service in Prague, said up to 40 people were injured, at least four of them seriously.

Rescue service spokeswoman Jirina Ernestova said there were foreigners among the injured but had no further details immediately.

Some of the injured were taken to Prague's hospitals for treatment while others, many of whom were hit by flying glass, were treated by rescuers at the scene.

Firefighters spokeswoman Pavlina Adamcova said rescuers were still searching the rubble, using sniffer dogs.

Adamcova said two or three people were still missing.

Windows in buildings located hundreds of metres from the blast were shattered, including some in the nearby National Theatre.

"There was glass everywhere and people shouting and crying," Vaclav Rokyta, a Czech student, told the AP near the scene.

"I was in the bathroom, no windows, the door was closed. Honestly, if I had been in my bed I would have been covered in glass," said Z.B. Haislip, a student from Raleigh, North Carolina, who was in a nearby building.

The Faculty of Social Sciences of Prague's Charles University and the Film and TV School of the Academy of Sciences of Performing Arts are located next to the damaged building.

The road closures caused major traffic disruption and confused thousands of tourists. Some new arrivals to the city had to stand on street corners, unable to reach their hotels, their baggage loaded onto trolleys. Hotel staff urged them to be patient.

Prime Minister Petr Necas said in a statement he was "deeply hit by the tragedy of the gas explosion."

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/powerful-bla...z2RqzfdoqJ

[Peter Lemkin]

I'll post some photos later....a small area of the very center near the West side of the Vltava River looks like a war zone. Many injured, none have died. Cause unknown. Cars destroyed. Windows blown out in multiple buildings - and more than just the glass - the windows are now about 50% larger than they were [cement block or stone also blown out]. Tram traffic totally tangled, as many tram lines are effected. I'm about to go out with the dog and take a look from a safe distance.

[Peter Lemkin]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4687[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4688[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4689[/ATTACH]

Some people are reported as still buried. The city is full of sirens. No word yet on cause of blast.

Powerful blast in central Prague leaves dozens injured

29-04-2013 15:33 | Jan Richter - Czech Radio

A strong explosion rocked the centre of Prague on Monday morning, leaving dozens of people injured. The blast, which the authorities say may have been caused by a gas leak, severely damaged a building on the edge of Prague's Old Town. Rescue workers are now searching the rubble for any people who might be trapped inside.

Photo: CTK
The massive explosion occurred shortly before 10 AM inside a building in Divadelní Street in central Prague, near the National Theatre and a block away from the embankment of the Vltava. The blast shattered windows in many building in the area, and the shockwave was felt as far as the other bank of the river where people said they felt the tremor.

The blast occurred in close vicinity to the FAMU film school. The school's dean, Pavel Jech, describes what happened.

"There was a very strong explosion which shook the building and caused some windows to burst. The explosion in fact occurred several buildings away from the school but for people who were inside it felt like it was right next door.

"Fortunately, we have no information about any injuries in the film school itself. The whole building has been searched and completely evacuated. No one was injured; people were just in a state of surprise and shock but there were no physical injuries in the school itself."

Around 35 people were lightly wounded in the blast while one person suffered more serious injuries. They were treated in nearby hospitals. Zdeněk Schwarz is the head of Prague's emergency medical service.

Photo: CTK
"Most people suffered light injuries such as abrasions and cuts caused by shattered glass, also ear injuries caused by the shock wave. These are light wounds, but some people might have been wounded more seriously which is something we will only determine after they are examined in hospitals."

Emergency response teams are now searching for any people who might be trapped under the rubble of the building at the centre of the explosion, which is located behind the famous Café Slavia.

The authorities believe a gas leak is the most like cause of the explosion, and several witnesses said they had smelled gas in the area. Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda arrived at the scene some 90 minutes after the blast.

"There is a high concentration of gas which complicates the work of rescue workers. We cannot search the building with dogs as they would not be able to find anyone because of the smell of gas. So we are waiting for the gas pipes to be closed."

Bohuslav Svoboda, photo: CTK
Immediately after the explosion, the police sealed off the area for all traffic. A few hours later, trams were allowed to return to Národní třída and a nearby bridge across the Vltava. However, the streets in the immediate vicinity remain closed as the authorities continue to search the site.