A gas leak, the main hypothesis of the Judicial Police regarding the explosion in a home in Ibiza

The Judicial Police investigation points to a possible gas leak as the cause of the explosion in a home in Ibiza last Tuesday, which left four people seriously injured. According to sources involved in the investigation, work was being carried out in the building, which is owned by the Balearic Housing Institute (Ibavi), to replace elements as part of a switch from gas supply to electricity.

The mayor of Ibiza, Rafael Triguero, explained on Tuesday that, “at the very least”, the residents of the five homes most affected by the explosion would need two months before they could return. For his part, the regional Minister for Housing, José Luis Mateo, also said that the priority was to restore the building’s electrical and aerothermal systems so that the remaining residents could return to normal “as soon as possible”.

First images of the explosion in a flat in Ibiza.

The minister acknowledged that both the Balearic Government and Ibavi are waiting for the results of the judicial investigation and are “paying very close attention” to what emerges from it. Responsibility will then be assumed wherever appropriate.

“It was a housing development where residents had been asking for refurbishment and upgrading works for many years, including energy-efficiency improvements and work on the exterior carpentry”, he explained on Wednesday in Ibiza, noting that the development was more than 20 years old. For the works, European funds had been used and the project had been commissioned by Ibavi to a construction company.