Two young children were killed when a house collapsed near the southern Italian city of Naples – possibly as a result of a gas explosion. The four-year-old girl and her six-year-old brother were pulled alive from the rubble in the small town of Saviano, firefighters said. The father and another brother, aged two, were taken to hospital with serious injuries. A search is underway for the mother and the other woman.
According to authorities, the explosion occurred around 7 a.m. It is believed that gas leaked from a pipe and caught fire. The family was at home on the first floor of the building. In the morning, they searched for neighbors who lived upstairs. Hopes of finding survivors were low. The community of Saviano, with a population of 15,000, is located in the interior of Naples, about 30 kilometers from the city center.
