After the fatal explosion in the Spanish Oviedo evacuated residents of an apartment building are to be able to return as soon as possible. A technical inspection found no damage to the building structure the Government of Asturias said on 11 November. It was preparing for their return that same afternoon. It has not been confirmed that they actually returned.
The explosion took place on 10 November in the district of Villafría during a police operation. Police officer Juan José Rodríguez and his police dog were killed. A bomb disposal specialist was seriously injured. The operation followed gunfire in which a 17-year-old girl was injured.
The affected building has twelve flats. According to the regional government residents of eleven flats had to leave temporarily. Residents of five flats were accommodated in a hotel in Oviedo, while the others stayed with relatives. The housing authority coordinated support with the city’s social services.
After the police cordon was lifted, representatives of the regional government and the city inspected the building. The Director-General for Housing, Jesús Daniel Sánchez, said the damage was concentrated around the entrance and the exterior façade. No damage had been found inside the flats.
Before residents were due to return, minor repairs were to be completed and utility connections checked. While further work was carried out on the entrance and façade, a temporary access route through the rear courtyard was to be set up. The assessment of the building’s structure therefore did not mean that all the work had already been completed.
Police continued searching for a suspect on 11 November. According to Asturian police chief Jordi Moreno, specialist officers deployed from Madrid were assisting with the search. The injured bomb disposal expert was in a stable condition after a lengthy operation, Moreno said; his injuries were nevertheless serious.
According to police, officers found a suspicious rucksack containing an explosive device in the house and took it outside to protect residents. The device detonated there. The precise circumstances of the explosion are under investigation.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).