Turkish
Lifer
'Car bomb blast' rocks Madrid
Wednesday, February 9, 2005 Posted: 0917 GMT (1717 HKT)
MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A strong explosion has been reported on near a convention center on the outskirts of the Spanish capital, Madrid.
CNN's Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman said that reports said the blast had been caused by a car bomb.
There were no reported fatalities but police reported a number of light injuries, Goodman said.
Members of the Spanish royal family were expected later in the day at an arts fair at the convention center, he added.
Eyewitnesses told CNN ambulances had rushed to the scene following the explosion.
A spokesman for Madrid emergency services told Reuters that at least 10 people were being treated for injuries, although none of them was serious.
A plume of smoke could be been seen rising from the scene of the blast near the convention center, which is in a residential area and near Madrid's airport.
"It looks like, although it is not confirmed, that a car exploded," a spokesman for the Madrid fire department told Reuters.
Newspaper El Pais said on its Web site a destroyed car was seen at the explosion site. Basque police told Reuters the Basque newspaper Gara had received a warning about the blast from ETA.
Goodman said the fact that there were only light injuries at the scene suggested police had had time to clear people from the area.
Earlier this week there was a hostage standoff at the Spanish consulate in Bern, Switzerland.
Wednesday, February 9, 2005 Posted: 0917 GMT (1717 HKT)
MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A strong explosion has been reported on near a convention center on the outskirts of the Spanish capital, Madrid.
CNN's Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman said that reports said the blast had been caused by a car bomb.
There were no reported fatalities but police reported a number of light injuries, Goodman said.
Members of the Spanish royal family were expected later in the day at an arts fair at the convention center, he added.
Eyewitnesses told CNN ambulances had rushed to the scene following the explosion.
A spokesman for Madrid emergency services told Reuters that at least 10 people were being treated for injuries, although none of them was serious.
A plume of smoke could be been seen rising from the scene of the blast near the convention center, which is in a residential area and near Madrid's airport.
"It looks like, although it is not confirmed, that a car exploded," a spokesman for the Madrid fire department told Reuters.
Newspaper El Pais said on its Web site a destroyed car was seen at the explosion site. Basque police told Reuters the Basque newspaper Gara had received a warning about the blast from ETA.
Goodman said the fact that there were only light injuries at the scene suggested police had had time to clear people from the area.
Earlier this week there was a hostage standoff at the Spanish consulate in Bern, Switzerland.
