Images captured by Google StreetView cameras on the DN1A in Crevedia show a fenced off parking lot with numerous tanks at the scene of Saturday’s devastating explosions, as well as machinery that appears to have flowed gas from the tanks to the tank. The company, whose majority owner is the son of PSD mayor Caracal, would not have a permit to operate.

LPG station in Krevedia in 2021Photo: Google Street View
  • UPDATE: LPG company from Crevedia received numerous fines from the ISU and announced in 2020 that it is closing the workplace / First hypothesis about the explosion

The GPL station in Crevedia wasn’t actually a station, judging by the images taken by Google StreetView cars over the past three years. More like a parking lot of trucks and gas tanks.

StreetView records show that after 2020, when the firm lost its license to sell LPG and other human-like products directly, the site became a gated car park. Sometimes the trucks were caught parked right on the side of the road, because the truck was there even on the evening of the explosions.

Below are Google StreetView images from the last 3 years: 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Raed Arafat: “The station clearly did not have permits or work permits”

Regarding the gas station where the explosions took place, the head of the DSU said on Sunday morning that it “clearly did not have permits or authorization to operate” and that “as far as is known, the company did not conduct any activity.”

“We know that the company was at least no longer operating or clearly no longer had permits or approvals. It is obvious that from our point of view the company had neither documents nor permission to operate. Usually the company was not actually working,” said Raed Arafat.

  • UPDATE: LPG company from Crevedia received numerous fines from the ISU and announced in 2020 that it is closing the workplace / First hypothesis about the explosion

What existed at the liquefied gas station in Krevedia at the time of the explosions

At the time of the first fire, there were 6 liquefied gas tanks in the station parking lot in Krevedia, each of which contained about 10,000 liters of liquefied petroleum gas.

According to on-site sources cited by Digi24.ro, the incident may have occurred when employees tried to transfer liquefied gas from one tank to another..

After the first explosion, the firefighters who came to the place to extinguish the fire did not know whether there were still tanks filled with gas in the yard of the block. Three of the injured firefighters are in hospital in serious condition.

  • VIDEO The first photos in a day from the site of the explosions in Krevedia. How to see a place from a drone

An LPG station in Krevedia, owned by PSD’s son, Mayor Caracal

The gas station where the explosions took place is owned by a company owned by the son of the mayor of Caracal, Ion Doldurea (PSD). According to the mayor of Krevedia, the gas station would be suspended and it would not be allowed to sell fuel.

The LPG station belonged to Flagas SRL, whose shareholders are Ionuc Daniel Doldurea (51%) and Cosmin Ionuc Stinga (49%), Termene.ro reports, News.ro writes.

Cholak’s exasperated reply

When asked about the mayor’s son Caracal (PSD), who owns the liquefied gas station, Prime Minister Marcel Cholaku angrily replied: “Yes, the owner of the station is the mayor’s son. If you think that I, the party president, know what the children of mayors or members are up to, or which members have GPL, you are wrong. We are talking about saving lives, and you are asking me about…”

Explosion in Krevedia: two dead and 56 injured

Several powerful explosions occurred on Saturday at a gas station in the town of Krevedia, Dambovitsa County, followed by a fire. Several people were injured with severe burns, and at least one person died. The population in the area was evacuated, and traffic on DN 1A was completely blocked.

  • According to the MAI, The first explosion caused 8 victims, of which one person died of a heart attack without being burned, and seven people with burns were taken to Bucharest Emergency Hospital and Bagdasar Arseni Hospital. The second victim died on Sunday: the deceased’s wife from a heart attack, she has burns on 95% of her body surface.
  • Second explosion resulted in the injuries of 50 people, of whom 3 were transported to UPU Tirgovishte and 47 to medical centers in the municipality of Bucharest, with burns and injuries. Of them, 43 people are employees of the Police Department (39 firefighters, 2 policemen and 2 gendarmes)