At least five people - four men and a woman - have been killed in an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, a town on the north coast of Sicily, la Repubblica has reported.
The Italian fire department, Vigili del Fuoco, took to Twitter to provide some details on the explosion.
Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), esplosione alle 16:45 in un deposito di fuochi d’artificio: intervento #vigilidelfuoco in corso, recuperati tre corpi privi di vita, segnalati due dispersi, soccorsi due feriti #20novembre aggiornamento ore 18:00
— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) November 20, 2019
According to preliminary information provided by the fire brigades, the explosion took place about 5 pm. Two people were also injured and are now being transferred to hospitals in Catania and Palermo to receive treatment for their burns.
Two more people were reported missing but one of them has already been found and taken to hospital. The fire brigades are looking for the second missing person.