Florence Bomb Squad Clears Empty Gas Canister Found Beneath David Statue

Discovery at Piazzale Michelangelo

At approximately 07:30 on Monday, 5 October 2026, an employee of Alia Servizi Ambientali, the regional waste management company, noticed a cooking gas cylinder placed directly under the bronze statue of David at Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence. Piazzale Michelangelo sits on a hill south of the city centre and serves as one of the city's primary panoramic viewpoints. The sanitation worker observed that the metal cylinder was topped by a spherical component and connected to two protruding wires, prompting immediate suspicion that the assembly was an explosive device or detonator. Following standard security procedures, the operator contacted emergency services by calling the 112 emergency dispatch number.

Emergency response and perimeter closures

Carabinieri patrols and specialist military bomb technicians from the Artificieri dell'Arma arrived on the scene within minutes of the report. Law enforcement officers immediately established an exclusion zone around the statue and evacuated tourists and local residents who were in the vicinity of the panoramic terrace. To facilitate the specialist operation and secure public safety, the Florence municipal police closed Viale dei Colli, the scenic boulevard leading up to the square. Roadblocks and traffic diversions were established at key access points, including Piazza Ferrucci on one side and Piazzale Galileo near the Poggio Imperiale district on the other side.

Specialist inspection and all-clear

Bomb disposal experts conducted forensic and physical examinations of the canister for two hours to determine whether it contained volatile gas or an explosive payload. The technicians determined that the kitchen gas cylinder was completely empty, rendering it incapable of combustion or explosion. After confirming that the device contained no hazardous materials, the Carabinieri declared the object harmless. With the safety verification concluded, emergency personnel dismantled the cordons and reopened Piazzale Michelangelo and Viale dei Colli to pedestrian and vehicular traffic shortly before 10:00.

Florence Mayor Sara Funaro acknowledged the intervention by emergency services and addressed the status of the investigation.

We hope that full clarity will be brought to the matter. Fortunately, at the end of the bomb technicians' checks, the canister was found to be harmless and the area was reopened to traffic. Investigations remain underway to reconstruct what happened. Thanks again to everyone who intervened to ensure the safety of citizens.

Ongoing Carabinieri investigation

Carabinieri investigators launched an inquiry to identify the individuals responsible for leaving the cylinder under the statue. Officers are examining footage from municipal video surveillance cameras positioned across Piazzale Michelangelo and along adjacent roads in the Oltrarno district. Authorities are assessing whether the incident was an intentional demonstrative act, a deliberate prank, or an act of waste disposal and civic neglect. The square occasionally functions as an informal overnight stop for camper vans travelling through Tuscany. The monument itself is a 19th-century bronze replica of Michelangelo's original marble sculpture, which is preserved in Florence's Accademia Gallery, while a second replica stands in Piazza della Signoria.