Pope pray for victims of Rome gas blast

The Pope today prayed for seven people, who died when a gas leak triggered an explosion at a Rome apartment building.

‘‘At this moment of pain, I am particularly close to those struck by the tragic event,’’ Pope John Paul said at his weekly public audience at the Vatican.

A day after the blast over 200 emergency personnel were still at work at the building in northeastern Rome, said fire department spokesman Luciano Bonpani.

He said they had found a seventh body early today, that of a British woman who lived in Rome.

The explosion on in Via Ventotene, a narrow street lined with shops, occurred just minutes after firefighters arrived to check reports of a strong smell of gas.

The blast threw cars in the air and left a crater 65 feet deep.

According to Bonpani, at least 36 people were injured, with 10 still in hospital today. Among them were two firefighters from the team sent to investigate reports of a gas leak. They were both in a coma, Bonpani said.

Residents of the eight storey building said they first reported the smell of gas on Monday night. Gas company workers inspected, but said they found nothing, residents said. Another rash of calls yesterday morning brought police, firefighters and gas company workers.