At
least seven people, including two children, died after a powerful gas
explosion that destroyed today a block of five-storey residential
building in the Russian city of Yaroslavl, about 250 kilometers
northeast of Moscow, according to the latest data by local authorities.
Emergency services have recovered three more bodies from the rubble, two women and a child, he told Interfax a spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry.
Earlier, rescue services located four lifeless bodies, while at least seven people were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity.
The blast, which occurred at 04.20 hours (01.20 GMT), completely destroyed a block of five apartments, from the first to the fifth floor.
Emergency services working at the scene warned of the threat of further collapse, since the apartment building consists of four blocks.
Rescuers and firefighters continue to work on the place, and it is feared that there may be more victims trapped under rubble.
"The situation has not yet been clarified. In the destroyed apartments were enumerated between 12 and 17 people, but according to residents of the houses were uninhabited," said the governor of the Yaroslavl region Sergey Yastrebov.
He added that after the state of the rest of the building is evaluated to decide if the residents access to their apartments allowed.
Meanwhile, the Education Committee opened a criminal case in connection with the explosion in Yaroslavl by "performance of work or services without complying with safety standards."
Emergency services have recovered three more bodies from the rubble, two women and a child, he told Interfax a spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry.
Earlier, rescue services located four lifeless bodies, while at least seven people were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity.
The blast, which occurred at 04.20 hours (01.20 GMT), completely destroyed a block of five apartments, from the first to the fifth floor.
Emergency services working at the scene warned of the threat of further collapse, since the apartment building consists of four blocks.
Rescuers and firefighters continue to work on the place, and it is feared that there may be more victims trapped under rubble.
"The situation has not yet been clarified. In the destroyed apartments were enumerated between 12 and 17 people, but according to residents of the houses were uninhabited," said the governor of the Yaroslavl region Sergey Yastrebov.
He added that after the state of the rest of the building is evaluated to decide if the residents access to their apartments allowed.
Meanwhile, the Education Committee opened a criminal case in connection with the explosion in Yaroslavl by "performance of work or services without complying with safety standards."