Explosion in Hjarðarhagi: Three hospitalized after apartment fire

An explosion in an apartment building on Hjarðarhagi in Vesturbær triggered a major emergency response this afternoon. Heavy smoke and fire poured from the ground floor of the building following the blast. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, according to the capital area Fire Department.

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes, with one man reportedly climbing out of a basement window, covered in blood. Emergency crews responded swiftly: four fire engines, six ambulances, and at least ten police vehicles, including motorcycles, arrived at the scene.

Three injured individuals were transported to the hospital. Police interviewed residents gathered outside the building, many of whom watched as responders tackled the fire and conducted rescue operations.

Fire Chief Jón Viðar Matthíasson said the fire has now been extinguished, and smoke is being cleared from the stairwell. “We don’t yet know what caused the explosion,” he said. “We are assessing whether other apartments in the building have been affected by smoke.”

The fire department is now concluding operations and packing up equipment. The condition of the injured is currently unknown.