Summary:
- A blast at a gas station in Russia has claimed at least 30 lives, including three children, according to the country's emergency services ministry.
- The fire originated at an auto repair shop and then spread to the adjacent filling station in Makashkala.
- Efforts to extinguish the blaze lasted over three hours, with firefighters working to control the fire's spread over a large area.
- An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the tragic incident.
This is the moment a blast ripped through a gas station in Russia. It killed dozens of people, including three children, Russia's emergency services ministry said on Tuesday. The fire started at an auto repair shop on the roadside of a highway in Makashkala on Monday night and spread to the nearby filling station, officials said.
Thirteen of the wounded were children, Interfax reported, citing the Dagestani Health Ministry. Images shared by the emergency services ministry showed firefighters trying to put out a colossal blaze. It took them more than three hours to extinguish the fire, which spread over an area of over 700 square yards. Russian news agency TASS reported this, citing a statement from the Russian emergency services. Investigators were dispatched to the scene on Tuesday to ascertain the cause of the disaster.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community and the nation as a whole. The loss of life, particularly the young victims, is a tragic event that has prompted an urgent investigation into safety measures at such establishments. As the investigation continues, the affected families will be supported by the government and various support organizations in their time of grief.