Three seriously hurt in Spain industrial warehouse blast

15 people got injured as it was not yet known whether the smoke was toxic

MADRID: At least 15 people were injured Thursday, three of them seriously, when an explosion hit a warehouse containing industrial oils near Madrid, forcing the evacuation of nearby schools, authorities said.

"Right now, we have three seriously injured by burns and other injuries," a spokesperson for the firefighters told AFP, adding 12 others were also hurt to a lesser degree.



He said authorities were probing the cause of the explosion in the warehouse in Arganda del Rey, some 30 kilometres (19 miles) southeast of the Spanish capital.

Madrid's 112 emergency services centre tweeted that there had been "several explosions."



The Guardia Civil police force meanwhile posted a video of a large, black column of smoke billowing from the warehouse, and announced it was evacuating the zone, which includes several schools.

Firefighters were still working to extinguish the blaze.

It was not yet known whether the smoke was toxic, but the emergency services centre said an air quality measuring station in Arganda del Rey showed normal readings.

"A mobile unit is going to take measurements in the zone," it added.