At least three people are reported to have died after a building under construction collapsed in the provincial town of Saransk, set to host matches during the 2018 World Cup.
Authorities in the town south east of Moscow said earlier in the day that the 10-story building’s stairs had collapsed.
A source in the republic of Mordovia’s regional government told the state-run TASS news agency that three had died in the incident.
The deaths were confirmed by a source in the emergency services to the Interfax news agency.
The incident comes less than one week after several people died when part of an apartment block collapsed in the central Russian city of Izhevsk.
Authorities opened a criminal case into murder, alleging that one of the residents may have deliberately caused a gas explosion.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
