A TERRIFYING explosion ripped through a block of flats in Madrid on Wednesday, killing three dogs and forcing residents to evacuate.
Shocking footage shows flames tearing through the four-storey building in Valdemoro, south Madrid, following the blast at around 8.25am.
The explosion originated in an empty flat on the second floor, police said, but residents of five apartments were forced to leave as flames quickly spread to homes above and below.
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One of the evacuees, 43-year-old Hector, told El Pais the blast shook the building ‘like a blender’.
“As if thunder had struck, a bolt of lightning, something supernatural that came crashing down right on top of us,” he added.
Six fire crews rushed to the scene alongside medics, police and Guardia Civil officers, with firefighters battling the flames for hours before extinguishing the blaze around midday.
Four dogs were found trapped in a penthouse, suffering from smoke inhalation.
Moving video shows emergency workers trying to revive the animals following their rescue.
Responders were able to save one of the dogs after it went into cardiac arrest, but three sadly died.
A pet parrot in one of the affected flats also died from smoke inhalation, while the surviving dog was handed over to a vet for further treatment.
Paramedics checked three people and two Guardia Civil officers for mild smoke inhalation, though nobody suffered serious injuries.
The blaze left five homes uninhabitable, with the Madrid town hall now working to provide the affected families with alternative accommodation.
Firefighters, however, said the building itself did not suffer any structural damage.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, which remains unknown.
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