On 9 April 2024, an explosion at the Bargi hydroelectric power station hydroelectric power plant owned by Enel Green Power left seven workers dead and five others critically injured. The power station is located in

Bargi Bargis were a light cavalry mercenary group of Maratha Empire's who indulged in large scale plundering of the countryside of western part of Bengal for about ten years (1741–1751) during the Maratha invasions of Bengal. Maratha invasions took ...

, one of the villages around

Lake Suviana Lake Suviana (''Italian'': Lago di Suviana) is an artificial lake located in metropolitan city of Bologna, Italy in the Bolognese Apennines, formed following the construction of a 91.5 m (300 ft) high dam, begun in 1928 and completed in 1932. T ...

lying upstream, in

Camugnano Camugnano ( Medial Mountain Bolognese: ; City Bolognese: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southwest of Bologna. Camugnano borders the following municipali ...

near Bologna, Italy.

Background

Lake Suviana is a reservoir that was formed following the construction of a dam in 1932. Due to increased energy demand, the Bargi hydroelectric power station was built in 1975 at a depth of 30 metres. The power plant uses water from both

and Lake Brasimone.

Explosion

The explosion occurred around 15:00 CEST at the hydroelectric power plant of Italian company Enel Green Power in

, one of the five villages around

in the commune of

. The power plant is located about underground.Doden en vermisten na ontploffing bij waterkrachtcentrale in Italië
/ref> The prefect of Bologna, Attilio Visconti, said the explosion originated from a turbine located eight levels down and resulted in a fire, and the floor below it flooded. Enel Green Power said there was no damage to the dam's structure.

Victims

Fifteen people were working at the plant at the time of the explosion. In the immediate aftermath, three workers were killed, including two from the southern cities of Taranto and

Messina Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in ...

and a man from Romania who resided in Settimo Torinese. Five people were critically injured with severe burns; they were transported by helicopter to nearby hospitals. Two people are in intensive care. Four workers were decleared missing. Three other workers escaped unharmed. On 10 April, aquatic drones were deployed in the lake to search for the missing. The next day, three of the missing were found dead, bringing the death toll to six. The men were from Padua, Milan and

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...

. On the morning of 12 April, the last missing worker, a man from Naples, was found dead, bringing the death toll to seven.

Aftermath

The fire brigade had great difficulty gaining access to the fire. A rescue diver gained access to the seventh floor below the surface, but not lower where three people were trapped. Employees were evacuated following the explosion and electricity production was halted.

Strikes and protests

The explosion contributed to concerns about work safety in Italy, with two of the country's largest unions renewing calls for planned nationwide four hour-strikes on 10 April. Following the explosion, more strikes and protests took place on 11 April.Italiaanse arbeiders leggen werk neer na werkongeluk dat zeven doden eist, eisen veiliger werkomgeving
/ref>Italianen staken uit protest tegen onveiligheid op het werk: ‘Drie doden per dag zijn als onschuldige slachtoffers in een oorlog’
/ref>

Investigation

Authorities said the explosion appeared to have been caused by a defect in one of the turbines. According to Marco Masinara, the mayor of

, the explosion occurred during maintenance work. An investigation is due to launched after the missing people are found and the plant is deemed safe. On 10 April, Masinara said the plant was never known to be at risk of such an incident. More than two years before the explosion, the

Italian Labour Union The Italian Labour Union or UIL ( it, Unione Italiana del Lavoro) is a national trade union center in Italy. It was founded in 1950 as a socialist, social democratic, (republican) and laic split from the Italian General Confederation of Labour ( ...

issued warnings about safety risks in the hydroelectric power station. However, Enel Energy denied such reports and said that it had received appreciation from labor unions in 2022 for the company’s approach to training, safety, and risk assessment.

Reactions

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said she was "anxiously" following the news and thanked the rescue workers. Enel Green Power also expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and has established an immediate fund of two million euros to enable the individuals involved and their families to address their immediate needs and emergencies. The company also initiated an internal fundraising campaign to provide employees with the opportunity to express their condolences and solidarity with the families of the victims.{{cite web, url=https://geagency.it/esplosione-suviana-enel-avvia-raccolta-fondi-interna-per-famiglie-incidente-bargi/, title=Esplosione Suviana, Enel avvia raccolta fondi interna per famiglie incidente Bargi - Geagency, date=11 April 2024 On 10 April the explosion was commemorated by the Italian

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon R ...

.Mulè chiede un minuto di silenzio alla Camera per la tragedia di Suviana
/ref>

References

2024 disasters in Italy Explosions in 2024 April 2024 events in Italy 2024 industrial disasters 21st century in Bologna Apennine Mountains Explosions in Italy