Almada, Portugal, July 4, 2024 (Lusa) - The explosion at the technology park of the Faculty of Science and Technology of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, in Caparica, Almada, was at the YDreams company which, "despite operating within the campus, is autonomous", the higher education institution said on Thursday.

The same source at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa told Lusa that more information about the explosion was still being gathered at the end of this morning, including the names of victims and their identification, and that they would provide an update at a later date.

An explosion in the technology park of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the New University of Lisbon, in Caparica, Almada, Setúbal district, caused one death today, Civil Protection said.

A source from the Setúbal Peninsula Sub-regional Command told Lusa that there was "one fatality", who was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.36 p.m., without any information on his identity.

The same source added that there was also a serious injury, "not directly related to the explosion", indicating that "he may have suffered a sudden illness".

Civil Protection later said that the seriously injured person was now considered to be slightly injured and was transported to the Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada.

The Setúbal Peninsula Sub-regional Command also said that five people were being assisted at the scene by INEM's team of psychologists.

Regarding the origin of the explosion, the source revealed that it started in a "pressure testing container", adding that the GNR's bomb squad is on site to confirm the safety of the space.

The explosion was noted at 12.45 p.m., in the technology park of the Faculty of Science and Technology of Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

Eight rescue vehicles and 20 operatives were mobilised to the scene from the Trafaria Volunteer Fire Brigade, the National Institute for Medical Emergencies (INEM) and the National Republican Guard (GNR).

SSM/ADB // ADB.

Lusa