Engomi explosion ‘caused by gas leak’

The explosion which occurred in the Nicosia suburb of Engomi on Tuesday was caused by a gas leak, police spokesman Christos Andreou confirmed on Thursday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), he said tests carried out by the police confirmed the explosion’s cause, but that due to the destruction caused by the earthquake, the source of the gas leak and the conditions under which it occurred have not yet been determined.

In addition, the girl who was most seriously injured, an 18-year-old from Greece who lived in the building reported that there was a “strong smell of gas” shortly before the explosion, with Politis saying a gas bottle on the ground floor may have been the cause of the explosion.

He added that police are continuing their investigation to determine whether possible “criminal offences” took place to cause the explosion, and that a private company has been called in to ensure gas is not leaking through the copper gas supply pipes in the building.

Additionally, he said the 18-year-old had said there were no gas-powered appliances in her apartment.

The matter of “criminal offences” may pertain to the use of the building, with a number of commercial buildings in Engomi and elsewhere having been converted to be student housing for the increasing number of students studying in Cyprus.

Engomi Mayor Zacharias Kyiakou told Politis his municipality is conducting an investigation into the building which exploded, with that investigation focusing on additions and extensions to the building, and to what extent they were legal and licenced.

The owners of the building in question had received permission to be converted into a three-storey residential building.

The 18-year-old is reportedly still being treated at the Nicosia general hospital for severe burns. She is currently unable to give an official statement to the police as the police are not allowed to visit her in hospital due to the risk of infection.