One dead and 14 injured after explosion rips through Spanish apartment block

One person is dead and 14 more are injured after an explosion ripped through a Spanish apartment block on Sunday (18 September).

Flames and smoke could be seen coming from the second-floor flat in the seaside resort of Premia de Mar, 15 miles to the northeast of Barcelona.

Spanish emergency services the blast happened around 8.25am Spanish time (7.25am BST).

"The explosion happened at 8.25am and affected 15 people, 14 of whom were injured and one who died," emergency services told AFP.

Two of the injured people are also believed to be in a serious condition.

Rubble and debris could be seen covering the affected street, but the cause of the explosion is not yet known.

Local media reported that the rest of the seven-story building was evacuated and were reportedly taken to a nearby sports centre.

A middle-aged woman is believed to have died in the blast, according to the MailOnline, however this has not been confirmed. She is believed to have been the resident of the second-floor flat where the explosion took place.

Local Saturnino Martin told the outlet, "It was like something out of a film, a huge noise and then a shower of glass."

The fire has now been fully extinguished and investigators are examining the site.

Several people have taken to social media to share images and videos of the aftermath.

One tweet shows bannisters and the remains of a balcony littering the floor below, before panning to the source of the explosion, where plumes of smoke can be seen rising high into the Spanish skyline.

It is the second explosion of the weekend as a blast in New York City late on Saturday (17 September) night left at least 29 people injured. The two are not believed to be linked.

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