A large explosion destroyed four floors of a building in central Madrid and killed at least two.
The explosion occurred around 3 p.m. (11 a.m. in Brasilia) at 98 Toledo Street, near Puerta de Toledo, a monument located 1 km from the Royal Palace of Spain.
According to the mayor of Madrid, José Martínez Almeida, there have been at least two deaths, and the first data indicate that the accident occurred due to a gas leak.
With the explosion, parts of the building fell onto the street and hit passers-by. The building, which has lost several exterior walls on the upper floors, has fireplaces, which are controlled by firefighters.
The building belonged to the Catholic Church and was used in courtyards for priests and to distribute food to the homeless. Next to it, there was a residence for the elderly, who were then evicted.