Prešov gas explosion trial: Witnesses describe moments before tragedy

Court proceedings continue regarding the tragic gas explosion that occurred on Mukačevská Street in Prešov on December 6, 2019. The explosion and subsequent fire resulted in eight deaths and left nearly 40 people seriously injured, causing massive destruction that eventually required the demolition of the apartment building.

During recent hearings, witnesses provided emotional testimony regarding the moments leading up to the disaster. A retired doctor testified that she smelled gas both inside her apartment and outside. When she questioned two young men about the odor, they reportedly told her they ‘had the situation under control.’ Shortly after she returned to her apartment via elevator, the explosion occurred, causing doors to blow off and windows to shatter.

Legal proceedings have expanded to include five defendants, with two facing charges of general endangerment through negligence. Defense arguments have raised questions regarding why the explosion was concentrated in this specific building when other nearby structures were at a similar distance from the damaged pipeline, suggesting other contributing factors may have played a role in the gas accumulation.