The injured toll of a gas blast and fire at a Dedeman DIY store in northeastern Botosani is 15, one of whom is a minor, the medical director of the Botosani County Emergency Hospital Stefan Bercea said.

Three of the casualties were transferred to university centers in Iasi (one) and Bucharest (two), and four remained hospitalized at the Botosani emergency facility – two at the Intensive Care Unit, and two at the Plastic Surgery Ward.

A 41-year-old man with burns on 12 percent of his body was taken to the „St. Spiridon” Plastic Surgery and Burns Clinic in Iasi, and another intubated and ventilated casualty who suffered 25 percent body burns was to be flown to Bucharest later in the day, after an urgent care stopover in Suceava, said the coordinator of the Mobile Emergency Resuscitation and Extrication Service of the „St. Spiridon” Emergency Hospital in Iasi, Professor Diana Cimpoesu.

According to Dedeman representatives, the explosion occurred during gas network works which were carried out by a licensed external company.

The shopping center has a fire safety permit, officials with the fire safety authority said.

Eight of the blast and fire casualties are store customers, the Botosani Public Health Directorate said in a Friday statement.

AGERPRES