[caption id="attachment_6516" align="aligncenter" width="768"]
The hydroelectric power plant on Lake Suviana seen in a video shared by the Italian fire and rescue service[/caption]
A hydroelectric power plant in northern Italy experienced an explosion that resulted in four deaths and multiple missing persons.
At the factory in Lake Suviana, 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Bologna, an underwater explosion took place.
The impacted region is about 30 meters (100 feet) below the lake's surface.
The adjoining town of Camugnano's mayor informed the Ansa news agency that they thought a fire started during maintenance.
According to Marco Masinara, the accident was "serious" and that rescuers had difficulty getting access.
The prefect of Bologna, Attilio Visconti, said a fire broke out when a turbine exploded on the eight floor below the surface, causing the floor below to become flooded.
One of the divers involved in the search and rescue operation told Italian newspaper La Repubblica he had managed to reach the seventh floor below the surface but could not reach the three people trapped further down.
Several people are known to have suffered severe burns following the explosion, which took place at about 15:00 (13:00 GMT). They were flown to nearby hospitals by helicopter.
Lake Suviana is an artificial lake located in the Appennine mountain range near Bologna. The lake was formed following the construction of a dam in 1932.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on X, formerly Twitter, to thank the rescue services and say she was "anxiously" following news on the explosion.
The power plant is owned by Italian energy giant Enel Green Power.
The company said there was no indication that the dam had suffered any damage, but that the power plant had stopped production.