A powerful explosion in the Cezch Republic capital centre of Prague has injured up to 40 people and left others buried under rubble, police say.

The blast in a building on Divadelni Street, close to the National Theatre, was heard as far away as Prague Castle across the Vltava river.

It blew out the windows on many of the surrounding buildings.

A police spokesman said it was probably caused by natural gas and 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.

“We have treated up to 20 people, and we are trying to find out if there are people buried in the rubble,” Prague emergency service spokeswoman Jirina Ernestova told AFP.

Zdenek Schwarz, head of the rescue service in Prague, said up to 40 people have been injured but a fire department spokeswoman said there had not been reports of any deaths.

“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 the US.

A fire department spokeswoman said there had been no reports of any deaths.

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

 

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