Rome: An explosion at a hydroelectric power station near Bologna in central Italy on Tuesday left several people injured and others missing, firefighters said.
Firefighters rescued three injured people from the plant in Bargi, near Lake Suviana, and were searching for missing people after the explosion in the early afternoon, they said on social network X.
Local media reported that ten people were injured, four of them seriously, and six people were missing.
The explosion occurred in a room that was below the level of the lake, where works were underway.
Interviewed by local television, the head of the Bologna fire department, Calogero Turturici, said "several" people were missing and at least one person was seriously injured.
He added that it was impossible to make any immediate assumptions about the causes of the accident.
Enel Green Power, the unit of energy giant Enel that operates the plant, confirmed the incident and said it was coordinating with authorities.
In a statement published by local media, the company said it had "activated all the necessary security measures in line with internal procedures to guarantee the correct evacuation procedures to protect its personnel".
