Explosion rocks central Milan: Several vehicles on fire after ‘van bursts into flames’

Several vehicles are on fire in the center of Milan in northern Italy after a gas canister van mysteriously exploded.

Local police said the van caught fire, while local reports said four people were injured in the blast.

SkyTG24 broadcast footage of Milan’s Porta Romana district, with tall plumes of black smoke rising between buildings and firefighters on the scene.

Cell phone footage from the street showed several cars engulfed in flames, as well as what appeared to be a scooter and nearby buildings. The wreckage of a vehicle turned out to be in the middle of the narrow one-way road.

Further details were not immediately available.

The explosion occurred around 11:30 a.m. local time on the street via Pier Lombardo in the city’s Porta Romana, southeast of the city center and close to one of the city’s train stations. 1.3 million people live in the city.

The Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported that the van was probably headed for the nearby Italian Auxological Institute.

Witnesses reported seeing the van burst into flames before a massive explosion.

In addition to the van, four other cars — as well as a nearby pharmacy and an apartment building — all caught fire, according to the publication.

Ambulances and firefighters rushed to the scene, while the carabinieri – the police – cordoned off the area.

A nearby kindergarten and an apartment building have been evacuated.

The explosion came on the morning after a big duel in the semi-final of the Champions League between two football clubs in the city: Inter Milan and AC Milan.

The two clubs share a stadium and an intense, historic rivalry. There is no suggestion that the blast was related to the match.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow…