Romanian Parliament, police launch probes into Bucharest residential building explosion

The Romanian Parliament's Chamber of Deputies greenlit a request from opposition parties Alliance for the Union of Romanians (or AUR), SOS Romania, and the Party of Young People (or POT) to establish an inquiry commission into the October 17 explosion at the residential building in southern Bucharest. Three people died in the blast, which was most likely caused by gas leaks, while 15 others were injured.

Also on Wednesday, October 29, Romanian police conducted searches in Bucharest, Ilfov, Prahova, and Teleorman counties, targeting companies and individuals. The searches are part of the criminal case opened following the explosion.

The parliamentary inquiry will look into the circumstances, causes, and responsibilities related to the explosion.

According to the opposition, the commission is necessary and legitimate, since the criminal investigation carried out by the Prosecutor’s Office is limited to determining individual criminal responsibility, without being able to address the systemic deficiencies of public institutions or of the regulatory framework, according to News.ro.

In addition, the parliamentarians said that state institutions have a proven tendency toward cover-up, delay, and transfer of responsibilities. Moreover, the opposition said that the tragedy in Calea Rahovei is not an isolated incident but the symptom of a chronic crisis of responsibility and transparency in state institutions.

Separately, Romanian police carried out searches in connection with the explosion, bringing multiple people in for questioning. Searches also reportedly included the headquarters of natural gas distribution operator Distrigaz.

“This morning, the Romanian Police, under the coordination of the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Bucharest Court of Appeal, is conducting eight home searches at natural and legal persons, as part of the criminal case opened following the explosion in Rahova. Of the eight searches, four are being carried out in Bucharest, two in Ilfov, and one each in the counties of Prahova and Teleorman,” announced IGPR.

Officers involved in the searches seized documents and storage devices. Six individuals were also taken in for questioning.

A definitive cause of the October 17 explosion has not yet been established, although a crack in a gas pipe is the most likely cause, according to investigators.