8 injured, 2 seriously, from gas explosion at Barcelona's Plaça de Sants metro entrance

A total of eight people have been injured by a gas explosion at the metro entrances to Plaça de Sants in Barcelona. 

All eight of the injured are men, two of which are serious, three suffered minor injuries, and three less serious. 

Vall d'Hebron Hospital is treating four of the eight injured, while Hospital Clínic is treating the other four.

Nine Barcelona Fire Department units have been working on the fire that followed the explosion on Wednesday, July 22.

By shortly after midday on Thursday, the fire was extinguished. 

The Barcelona City Council says all indications point to the leak beginning at 2:30 p.m. around the Sants Metro Line 5 station, due to a pipe that was damaged during work. 

While repairing the pipe, there was an explosion in the affected area, resulting in a gas fire that was difficult to put out. 

Clara Latorre, head of the Barcelona Fire Department, explained that the gas flow "will not stop" until the leak can be controlled. 

She explained that is a "complex" operation because it involves cutting off different points of the gas distribution network. 

"We do not know what caused the explosion, but until we manage to cut off the gas flow, we will not be able to extinguish the flames," she said. 

The fire department is confident, however, that the gas leak will be completely sealed in the coming hours. 

Three of the four points on the gas pipes have been sealed in the area they are working on, once the gas is completely sealed, the flames will self-extinguish.