9 hours ago
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A Scottish tourist, Grant Paterson, 54, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, suffered severe burns after a gas explosion destroyed the three-storey bed and breakfast where he was staying in Rome. The explosion occurred around 8:30 am on Saturday in the Monteverde area of the city.
Paterson, who was pulled from the ruins conscious, is believed to have sustained third-degree burns covering 75% of his body. He is currently receiving treatment at Sant'Eugenio Hospital in Rome.
Social media posts revealed that Paterson had arrived in Rome last week for a holiday. During his visit, he had explored several famous landmarks, including the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Just days before the explosion, he posted a message on Facebook, saying, "Arrived in Rome, trains, planes, buses and foot...EEAAASYYY... Accommodation is beautiful. Their pictures here, as mine do, do not do it justice. This should be a good week...if I don't get killed in some ungodly way. As it's just me, I'm going to sit in a different bit every day."
Local news reports confirm that Paterson's condition is being closely monitored, as authorities continue to investigate the cause of the explosion.
Roberto Gualtieri, the Mayor of Rome, visited the scene and told reporters he has ordered a full investigation into the explosion.
He said, "The important thing is that fortunately there are no victims, although unfortunately one person was seriously injured.
"Most likely he is a guest of a hospitality facility of Scottish origin. We don't know his exact condition, but he suffered burns, and this also suggests that it was an explosion caused by gas, which also causes flames.
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