Mystery surrounds Iglesias following an explosion heard around 11:40 PM on Saturday by residents in various neighborhoods of the city.
The terrifying roar was clearly heard from the central neighborhoods to the outskirts of Monteponi, and even as far away as Plagemesu, several kilometers away. Some residents on social media reported moments of apprehension, with window frames, walls, and floors shaken by strong vibrations.
Among the residents, Enrico Puddu recounts: "I heard the bang while I was in bed, busy using my cell phone, and I got up to go out onto the balcony to try to figure out what was going on, but I couldn't see anything. It was a loud noise in the distance; I'm used to kids setting off firecrackers by now." City councilor Marco Loddo, who heard the explosion from the Palmari area, instead suspects an airstrip: "I heard the bang quite loudly, even though it wasn't very close. I'm thinking it might have been a supersonic boom, otherwise I can't explain it. It was a sound coming from outside the city."
And many residents claim to have heard the explosion coming from the Campo Pisano area, where the mines once stood, now a vast fenced-off area owned by Igea. Giuseppina Aversano, who lives nearby, says: "We were returning home when we heard an incredible bang. My floor shook so much, as did the walls. Before the explosion, we also heard gunshots, but we saw no smoke or lights."
Also in Campo Pisano, a resident added that he heard a loud bang before the one everyone else heard around 4:15 PM, while he was preparing to work with firewood. And on social media, a user, under Councilor Loddo's post, stated: "Looking at the entire city from my house, I heard the loud bang, went out onto the balcony, and yes, I saw a huge cloud of smoke accompanied by several red and orange lights that looked like fire. And looking now that it's lighted, it looked like it was right in the direction of the mines, among the red mud or just past the Campo Pisano area."
Regarding the investigations, Enel has categorically ruled out any electrical faults or short circuits, while Igea has denied the use of explosives or internal activities at the mining sites under their jurisdiction. The mayor has also received no official warnings, and no reports from residents to law enforcement or emergency services have been received.
