Nearly 70 houses damaged by gas explosions in Albania

Nearly 70 houses were damaged by gas explosions occurred in southwestern Albania, the head of Kuman commune, Rajmond Plaka, said on Thursday.

Among which 35 of them have grave and serious damages, three are uninhabitable, while the others will be assessed by a commission established by the region, Plaka said.

Also criminal proceedings have been launched against Bankers Petroleum which caused gas explosion in Marinza, Fier Police Directorate announced on Thursday.

The places where the gas exploded are located nearly 200 meters from the well where the company was drilling.

Authorities inspected the houses damaged from the mud and water leaking from the explosions. Also an unpaved road in Marinza village suffered some damage in several parts.

Police are still waiting for experts of the Albanian National Agency of Natural Resources (NANR) to determine the causes of the explosions.

Meantime, it is very difficult for the residents evacuated from the village to go back to their homes due to the gas, water and mud that have entered in their houses.

Hundreds of tons of clay have fallen on their lands, houses, while the walls of some houses have cracked. Big and dangerous holes have appeared in the lands and roads, while the panicked residents seek the assistance of the state authorities, according to Albanian Daily News.

The Prefect of Fier, Xhevit Bushi, said that the company has accepted that the damage has been caused by them and the residents will be compensated for their damages.

"A unit has been established to verify damages after the meeting with Albanian Minister of Energy, where Bankers took over the responsibility to compensate all the damages caused by this misfortune," said Bushi. Endit