The families of the 13 victims of the gas cylinder explosion that happened in a café near the Central Market of Chisinau on January 9 will receive 220,000 lei overall in financial assistance, the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family has said.

Contacted by IPN, head of the Ministry’s information and communication service Tatiana Gumene said the families of the 13 victims have been contacted by the authorities and are to receive financial assistance by the end of this week. The support will be provided in a differentiated way and will vary between 15,000 and 25,000 lei, depending on the severity of the case.

Earlier, the Chisinau City Hall decided to offer by 20,000 lei in financial assistance to the persons who sustained injuries in the explosion. Almost 20 persons needed medical care after the gas cylinder exploded in the café. Afterward, three of the victims were transported to Bucharest for treatment. Two of the transported patients and a man hospitalized in Chisinau died. Nine persons are still in the hospital.