The Ministry of Development announced that it will finance the reconstruction of the apartment building on Calea Rahovei in Bucharest, which was destroyed by the explosion on October 17 that killed three people and injured 15 others. In this sense, the ministry has published for public consultation a draft emergency ordinance that expands the scope of the National Seismic Risk Reduction Program.
Under the proposed changes, buildings damaged by accidental disasters or technical failures, such as the Rahova explosion, will be eligible for full funding for both design and reconstruction works. Until now, the program has only covered the structural reinforcement of existing buildings, not their demolition or complete rebuilding.
Development minister Cseke Attila said: “The government and the Ministry of Development reaffirm their commitment to citizens’ safety in the face of earthquakes and other disasters, given that structural vulnerabilities can have dramatic effects on communities.”
He explained that the legal framework must be updated to allow financing for demolition and new construction, as well as for technical studies and design costs. Similar provisions already exist, the minister said, under the “Safe Schools” program, which allows for the demolition and rebuilding of unsafe school buildings.
To include the Rahova block in the financing program, two documents are required: a technical assessment prepared by certified structural experts and an official report from the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) identifying the cause of the explosion, according to the ministry.
“Since the legal status of the newly built structures under the program is different, they will become the private property of the state and will be assigned to the local administrative unit in whose jurisdiction the building is located, through an agreement concluded with the Ministry of Development. The newly built homes will be rented to former owners, upon their request, for the duration of their lifetime, and for a period of up to 20 years to their underage heirs, with the option to purchase if the former owners so request,” reads the press release.
Meanwhile, Digi24 reported that a preliminary investigation by the National Institute for Research and Development in Mine Safety and Explosion Protection (INSEMEX) has revealed new details about the Rahova blast. According to media sources, the gas leak originated outside the building, not in its basement as initially suspected.
Experts reportedly believe that a crack in an underground gas pipe led to leaks that accumulated in the building’s basement. The crack was likely caused by a short circuit in a nearby electrical cable that melted and damaged the pipe.
Investigators allegedly found that gas entered the building through underground utility tunnels, traveled into the basement, and then rose through the ventilation shafts. The gas buildup eventually reached an apartment on the fifth floor, where the ventilation column was supposedly blocked. When an electrical arc occurred, possibly when someone turned on a light, the explosion was triggered.
The investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Facebook/ISU Bucuresti-Ilfov)
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