Elderly Couple Perishes in Gas Explosion in Southern Italy

An 83-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman have died in an explosion that occurred earlier today in a residential building in Meta di Sorrento, in the Naples province. Preliminary reports indicate the blast, caused by a gas leak, happened shortly before 8:00 AM. The resulting fire spread to two neighboring homes but did not cause significant structural damage. The victims have been identified as a cohabiting couple, Raffaele Cretella and Rosa Formato. Emergency services, including firefighters and medical personnel, were dispatched to the scene on Via Cristoforo Colombo. An investigation into the incident, coordinated by the Torre Annunziata Prosecutor’s Office, is currently underway by the Carabinieri.