Support The Moscow Times!

Four Dead in Volgograd Gas Explosion

Dmitry Rogulin / TASS

Four people have died after a gas explosion tore through a residential building in the Russian city of Volgograd.

One victim, who was pulled from the rubble of the four-story building on Tuesday night, has been identified as a 26-year-old women, Russia's TASS news agency reported.

An 86-year-old woman and a worker for the Volgograd gas board have also been named among the dead. The fourth victim has yet to be identified.

Twelve apartments were demolished and a central stairway collapsed after the explosion in a ground-floor flat on Tuesday afternoon. Eleven people were injured, and 40 more were evacuated.

Police are currently investigating whether unqualified local handymen could have damaged the building's gas pipeline by illegally connecting it to the building's water pipes. 

A spokesperson for the local Emergency Situations Ministry told TASS that the rescue operation would continue.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

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 you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more