By Nathan Allen and Michael Gore
MADRID (Reuters) – One person was missing after a building belonging to the church collapsed in a central Madrid explosion, Telemadrid broadcaster said on Wednesday.
“The priests who live on the fifth and sixth floors are fine. We are trying to locate a volunteer who works with us,” the vicar general told Telemadrid.
A reporter for TVE public broadcaster said several had been injured, without giving details. Emergency services could not immediately confirm if there had been injuries.
A Reuters reporter saw smoke coming out of the collapsed building and rescue workers evacuating elderly people from a nearby nursing home.
The collapsed building was a religious complex that provided residential training for priests and gave meals for the homeless, a neighbour told Reuters.
A police spokeswoman said the area was being evacuated but could not confirm the source of the explosion.
La Sexta TV quoted government sources saying it may have been a gas leak. Officials could not immediately confirm.
The explosion happened in Toledo street, in the city center.
(Reporting by Nathan Allen, Inti Landauro, Belen Carreno, Jesus Aguado, Emma Pinedo; Writing by Ingrid Melander)
