ROME: Tragedy struck in Italy as two researchers lost their lives when an experimental hybrid car exploded during a test run on the Naples ring road. The incident, which occurred last week, has prompted investigations by the fire brigade and the Naples public prosecutor’s office.
The National Research Council (NRC) of Italy confirmed the fatalities on Thursday. Fulvio Filace, a 25-year-old trainee, succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday night after being in an induced coma due to severe burns covering 70 percent of his body. Researcher Maria Vittoria Prati, aged 66, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the explosion, tragically passed away on Monday.
Investigation Launched into Italy Car Explosion
The exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, but the fire brigade is focusing on two gas cylinders present inside the Volkswagen Polo TDI, which are believed to have triggered the blast. Italy’s AGI news agency reported that the Naples public prosecutor’s office has initiated a homicide and fire investigation and has seized a prototype of the vehicle.
Both Filace and Prati were associated with the National Research Council. Prati, an expert in emissions and alternative fuels, was driving the car, while Filace was in the passenger seat. The NRC expressed deep sorrow and dismay over the incident, initiating an internal investigation.
The car involved in the tragic accident was part of a larger European research project aimed at testing an electric motor with batteries powered by solar panels on vehicles with internal combustion engines. The incident has sent shockwaves throughout the scientific community in Italy.
