A powerful explosion in Östberga, southern Stockholm, has left residents in fear, with one fatality and significant property damage. The incident has heightened concerns about safety in the area, which was recently removed from the list of vulnerable neighborhoods.
Explosion in Östberga Sparks Fear Among Residents
Explosion in Östberga Sparks Fear Among Residents
Friday's explosion in Östberga has instilled fear among local residents, with some too afraid to leave their homes. "Tomorrow it might be me who is affected," says Khosbayar Amarzaya, 27.
The powerful explosion occurred on Friday in the residential area of Östberga in southern Stockholm. One person died, and a car was destroyed.
Amjad al-Khalidis, 33, felt his entire apartment shake from the shockwave.
"I thought something had exploded inside the house," he says.
Shortly after, sirens from police, emergency services, and ambulances filled the air. Amjad saw the street illuminated by blue lights.
"It's worrying. I'm just glad my wife wasn't home; she's pregnant and has epilepsy. It wouldn't have been good for her," he says.
"Last Week My Car Was Stolen"
Khosbayar Amarzaya, 27, also lives near the crime scene with his family.
"It was a huge bang, and our balcony window shattered," he says, continuing:
"Last week my car was stolen, now there's an explosion outside the house. It's really sad, it shouldn't be like this."
Haven't Dared to Go Out Since Yesterday
Police increased their presence in the area on Saturday, and the district administration has activated its crisis support.
However, Khosbayar and his family still feel a great deal of anxiety about what happened. His wife hasn't dared to go out since last night.
"You think that tomorrow it might be me or my neighbor who is affected," says Khosbayar.
Doing Nails When It Happened
A neighbor, who wishes to remain anonymous, was at home doing her nails when the explosion occurred.
"We all panicked. I ran around the apartment checking that everyone in the family was safe," she says, continuing:
"We've lived here for 20 years and never experienced anything like this. This was a really powerful explosion. Östberga had just been removed from the list of vulnerable areas, and then this happens. It makes you very worried."
The deceased has not been identified, but according to information from Expressen, it is a man.
He may have been carrying the explosive device himself, Expressen reports. The man was seen trying to light something in a doorway but was interrupted and ran from the scene. Shortly thereafter, the explosion occurred, according to information from Expressen.