A blast has rocked a building of Russian Aerospace Forces Academy in St. Petersburg, At least three people have been injured, Defense Ministry confirmed.
The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon and was caused by an “unidentified shell-less object.” A stairwell had reportedly collapsed as a result, leaving around 20 people trapped inside.
Three people suffered injuries in the blast, the MOD said, but none of them is life threatening.
A video has emerged online showing one of the injured being taken to the hospital. The man appears to be motionless as he is transported on a stretcher.
Fire engines arrived at the scene although there were no reports of a blaze inside the building. Some media outlets also reported the presence of a bomb squad unit outside the building. As the situation developed, the building was evacuated in full.
Negligent handling of explosives is thought to be the most likely reason of the blast, TASS news agency reported, citing a source in the emergency services.
The academy, named after Russian aviation pioneer Alexander Mozhaysky, is a flagship educational institution which commissions officers for the Air Force and other branches of the Russian Armed Forces.
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