Three Perish in Suspected Gas Blast in Kosovo

A suspected gas blast, which burned down a family home, is believed to have killed three family members in the village of Vasilevo, near Gllogovac, in central Kosovo, police said.

Police Lieutenant Fehmi Hoti told Balkan Insight that the incident happened around 1pm at the home of the Berisha family in Vasilevo, some 35 kilometres west of the capital, Pristina.

“We suspect at least three victims are lying under the debris of the burned house, but since the upper part of the building has fallen apart we can’t say exactly how many victims will be found,” Hoti said.

Two children, aged 13 and 14, were saved from the fire and have been hospitalized in Pristina. Doctors say they are not in a critical condition.

Police said that due to heavy snowfall, fire fighters had experienced difficulties in reaching the house.

Initial reports suggested a gas bottle ignited the blaze. But police say the official cause is not yet not determined as the forensics have yet to examine the scene.

“We can’t say for sure that the gas heating system caused this tragedy. Something else may have ignited the fire, so let’s wait for the preliminary investigation report,” Hoti told Balkan Insight.

Most households in Kosovo have been relying on extra heating during the recent cold weather. For weeks the country has been under heavy snowfall with temperatures dropping as low as 10 below zero in some towns and as low as minus-18 in some villages.