A massive gas explosion has ripped through an apartment building in Presov, eastern Slovakia with at least one person confirmed dead after falling from a balcony, according to police.

The initial explosion occurred between the ninth and twelfth floor of the building and several residents are reportedly trapped on balconies. The police said that one of the residents appears to have jumped to their death having been trapped by the blaze.

There are major concerns that the staircase might collapse and bring the entire building down with it. A nearby school was evacuated by authorities. “I thought it was an earthquake,” one nearby resident said.

Police and firefighters have established a security cordon around the still burning building as a precautionary measure as there have been multiple minor explosions since the fire started. Meanwhile, strong winds have hampered firefighting and search and rescue operations.

The original explosion was so powerful it shattered windows in the surrounding area.

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