Gas Explosion Rocks Housing Block in Braniewo

The news in Polish

1. dojść
   Osiągnąć określony punkt, stać się faktem. ↩︎
2. wybuch  (m.)
   Nagłe, gwałtowne uwolnienie energii. ↩︎
3. zdarzenie  (n.)
   Coś co miało miejsce, wydarzyło się. ↩︎
4. ewakuować
   Przenieść ludzi z miejsca zagrożenia do miejsca bezpiecznego. ↩︎
5. uszkodzenie  (n.)
   Zniszczenie lub uszkodzenie czegoś. ↩︎
6. wyciek  (m.)
   Wyciekanie substancji płynnej lub gazowej na zewnątrz zamknięcia. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: How many people were evacuated after the explosion in Braniewo?

Question 2: What caused the explosion in the housing block?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
dojść	occur
wybuch  (m.)	explosion
zdarzenie  (n.)	event
ewakuować	evacuate
uszkodzenie  (n.)	damage
wyciek  (m.)	leak

Read the full story

A massive explosion disrupted the usual calm of Braniewo, a town in northeastern Poland, on Monday afternoon. The incident occurred in an apartment block on Plac Strażacki, leading to significant structural damage and the emergency evacuation of over 50 residents.

According to local reports, the blast happened shortly after 14:00 on the upper floor of a five-storey building. Witnesses described hearing an enormous bang, which was followed by the sight of thick smoke rising from the roof. The noise was reportedly audible throughout the surrounding area, causing widespread alarm.

Emergency services quickly arrived on the scene, including the fire brigade, police, and medical teams. Among the first responders, Captain Karol Machnowski of the regional fire department reported that one person sustained injuries, primarily burns, and was swiftly taken to hospital for treatment.

The damage was severe, as two of the building’s walls were almost entirely destroyed. The building’s manager, Andrzej Krzywiec, confirmed that the affected apartment was home to a mother and her son. The force of the explosion was such that it even caused windows in adjacent buildings to tremble.

The quick response from emergency services helped ensure that the scene was contained within hours, although a thorough search of all the apartments was conducted to guarantee no further injuries had occurred. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported, and the displaced tenants were provided temporary accommodation in a nearby school.

The cause of the explosion is suspected to be a gas leak, although this has yet to be officially confirmed as investigations by police and fire experts continue. With the building’s structural integrity compromised, some residents have not yet been allowed back into their homes. Those affected are urged to remain cautious and patient while the authorities ensure their future safety.

The event has left the community of Braniewo deeply affected, with many expressing shock at how close tragedy came to their doorstep. Local officials have vowed to provide support to those impacted and emphasized the importance of safety checks for installations in all residential blocks.

Info: “Polish Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Polish”, which is a language school dedicated to those interested in Polish language learning. We offer various types of online Polish courses tailored to accommodate different learning needs and proficiency levels.