Seven confirmed dead in Italy plant blast as last body found

Rescuers on Friday found the body of the last worker missing after a blast at a hydroelectric plant in Italy, bringing the final death toll to seven.

Fire spokesman Luca Cari confirmed to AFP that all the workers missing after Tuesday's explosion had now been found. Three bodies had been recovered on Thursday.

The cause of the blast at Enel Green Power's (EGP) Bargi plant on Lake Suviana near Bologna remains unclear.

EGP's chief executive, Salvatore Bernabei, said in an interviews published Friday that any speculation was "premature", saying it would take time to understand a "very complex" situation.

But he rejected any suggestion there had been safety issues at the plant.

Speaking to Corriere della Sera newspaper, Bernabei said works to "technologically update" the plant had started in September 2022 and involved "leading companies in the sector".

The company said earlier this week that "efficiency works" had been entrusted to three primary companies, Siemens, ABB and Voith.

The firm on Wednesday announced a two-million-euro fund for the urgent needs of victims and their families.

As of the end of 2021, Italy had 4,646 hydroelectric plants, mainly in the country's north, which represent more than 14 percent of national power consumption.