A tragic incident unfolded in the southern Italian province of Naples early Sunday when a two-story building collapsed, claiming the lives of two young siblings and their mother. The children's grandmother was also trapped under the rubble as a result of the collapse, which was suspected to have been caused by a gas explosion, according to firefighters and local authorities.
The firefighters, communicating through their official Telegram channel, indicated that the collapse was likely triggered by a gas explosion. In the town of Saviano, rescuers first recovered the bodies of a 6-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. Subsequently, the body of the children's mother was also found. The search efforts are ongoing to locate the older woman, identified as the grandmother of the children, who is believed to be trapped beneath the debris.
Earlier in the day, the siblings' 2-year-old brother was discovered alive alongside their father, who was hospitalized in Naples in serious condition. The rescue operation was described as delicate by firefighters' spokesman Luca Cari, emphasizing the need for caution to prevent further collapses as they worked to locate the two women.
Mayor Vincenzo Simonelli, present at the scene, described the building as appearing 'crumpled up on itself,' highlighting the severity of the situation. Reports from the media suggested that a gas leak might have led to the explosion that rocked the second floor of the building, causing it to crumble and burying the lower floor under rubble.
