AFTERMATH SCENES.




Initials DE/V/RM/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE VILLAGE OF BONASSOLA, NEAR GENOA IN NORTH ITALY, RESEMBLES A BOMBED TOWN TODAY (SUNDAY) AFTER YESTERDAY'S RAILWAY WAGON EXPLOSION WHICH KILLED NINE PEOPLE.

THE BLAST OCCURRED AT BONASSOLA STATION - WHICH LIES BETWEEN LA SPEZIA AND GENOA. THE RAILWAY WAGON WAS CARRYING BLASTING MATERIAL FOR WORK GANGS ENLARGING A LOCAL RAILWAY TUNNEL.

FIVE OF THE DEAD WERE RAILWAY WORKERS - INCLUDING THE DRIVER AND THE GUARD OF A PASSENGER TRAIN WHICH DREW INTO THE STATION AS THE WAGON EXPLODED. THE OTHER FOUR DEAD - INCLUDING AN 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL - WERE PASSENGERS ABOARD THE TRAIN. THIRTY OTHERS WERE INJURED.

DETECTIVES WERE CALLED QUICKLY TO INVESTIGATE THE EXPLOSION, AND THE VILLAGE WAS SEALED OFF. BALLISTIC EXPERTS HAVE BEEN CALLED IN TOO, AND OFFICIALS ARE BAFFLED BY THE EXPLOSION. THE BLASTING MATERIAL HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY DESCRIBED AS A GELATINE TYPE CONTAINING A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF INERT MATERIAL. THE TRANSPORT MINISTRY SAID THAT UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE MATERIAL WOULD NOT EXPLODE EVEN WERE IT NOT HANDLED WITH CARE. NORMALLY IT REQUIRES A DETONATOR TO SET THE BLAST OFF.

THE BLAST SMASHED WINDOWS IN NEARBY BUILDINGS AND WAS SO GREAT AS TO HURL ONE OF THE VICTIMS ONTO THE TERRACE OF A HOUSE 150 METRES (NEARLY 500 YARDS)-AWAY. FIVE OTHER BODIES WERE BLOWN INTO A NEARBY SPORTS FIELD.

POPE PAUL, AND SIGNOR SARAGAT, ITALY'S RECENTLY ELECTED PRESIDENT, HAVE SENT MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY TO THE BEREAVED AND INJURED.