2 injured in explosion at restaurant in Akhaltsikhe, southern Georgia

Two individuals have been injured as a result of a gas explosion at restaurant ‘Imereti’ in Georgia’s southern Akhaltsikhe municipality yesterday evening.

The Emergency Management Service said the two individuals with burns and injuries have been transported to an Evex clinic.

Radio Free Europe/Radio liberty (RFE/RL) reports that the restaurant is located on the first floor of a five-storey residential building. The explosion took place when the restaurant was closed and two residents of the building were in the basement of the building.

Initially we [the residents of the building] thought it was an earthquake. Then we went out and it turned out a gas leak had caused the explosion at the restaurant. The injured individuals are a woman and her husband. People who live near the building said that some individuals were having fun in the restaurant when the explosion took place. The building is damaged and I have no idea  where to go at night”, one of the residents told RFE/RL.

Later after the incident Akhaltsikhe Deputy Mayor Guram Melikidze said thirty residents of the damaged building will be transferred to hotels. Their accommodation will be provided by Akhaltsikhe City Hall.

Experts will come to the scene and study the building. If it is not hazardous, all the 30 individuals will return back home”, said Melikidze.

Beka Tabidze, the director of the restaurant Imereti, told RFE/RL that when the explosion took place, nobody was in the restaurant except him and his brother, who were working on the computer.