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A loud explosion rocked a thermal power station in Bucharest, with dozens of tonnes of oil ablaze

A loud explosion rocked a thermal power station in Bucharest, with dozens of tonnes of oil ablaze

21 April 2026, 14:02

A loud explosion rocked a thermal power station in Bucharest, with dozens of tonnes of oil ablaze — Explosion at the Bucharest Thermal Power Station

Late in the evening of 20 April, an explosion occurred at a thermal power station in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, followed by a major fire.

This is according to HotNews.

It is noted that late yesterday evening, 20 April, a loud explosion was heard in the west of the city. The authorities announced that a fire had broken out at the CET Vest thermal power station. The fire was caused by the ignition of approximately 30 tonnes of oil.

Initial reports indicated that two transformers had caught fire. Firefighters used water and foam to extinguish the blaze and prevent the flames from spreading further.

By the middle of the night, the flames had engulfed a total of three electrical transformers, but by dawn the fire had been partially brought under control.

By 7 am, the rescue services had managed to localise the open flames. Five fire engines remain at the scene to monitor and cool the area where the fire broke out.

Romania steps up energy security

It was previously reported that Romania is stepping up monitoring in the Black Sea ahead of the launch of the large-scale Neptun Deep gas project, which is set to reshape the EU’s energy landscape and establish the country as a leading gas exporter.

By 2027, Bucharest plans to establish an extensive early-warning system in the Black Sea, comprising radar stations, drones and sensor systems.

The Neptun Deep project is one of the largest in the region, being implemented by OMV Petrom and the state-owned Romgaz. It is set to begin gas production in 2027 and provide Romania with significant volumes of energy for the domestic market and for export.

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