British tourist 'fighting for his life' with burns to 70% of body after Rome B&B explosion
23 March 2025, 21:39
A British tourist is reportedly fighting for his life after an explosion at his B&B apartment in Rome.
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A 54-year-old man was reportedly rescued from a pile of debris following a two-storey building collapsed in the Italian capital on Sunday morning. at around 9am on Sunday.
Local reports identify the man as Grant Paterson, who is thought to be from Scotland. He reportedly spent nearly an hour under the rubbled before he was freed, the Telegraph reports.
The victim was taken to Sant’Eugenio Hospital with burns affecting 70 per cent of his body, according to authorities.
A witness told Italian media: “I was stopped at the traffic lights at the intersection when I heard an explosion.
“It was like a bomb, a terrifying bomb.”
Read more: 'It's a nightmare': Six children homeless after 'sewage explosion' wrecks temporary house
Another resident was quoted as saying : “We were still in bed when we heard an insane bang.
“We quickly realised that it wasn’t a car crash or anything like that, but an explosion. There was smoke rising and shortly afterwards they closed the road and police [and] rescue workers began to arrive.”
Those nearby also mentioned a strong smell of gas following the blast, which destroyed the first and second floors of the guest house.
Roberto Gualtieri, the mayor of Rome, attended the scene following the incident.
He said: “Initial findings seem to indicate that it was a gas leak, perhaps from a cylinder that exploded, causing very significant damage.
“There is one injured person ... He is reportedly a guest of an accommodation facility, and investigations are underway into the B&B.”
No one else was injured in the blast, officials have said, though a nearby villa was also reportedly damaged.
Police set up an exclusion zone round the explosion site, evacuating neighbouring buildings as a precaution.
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office said: "We are providing support to the family of a British national who is currently in hospital in Rome."
