A blast at a roadside service station in Russia’s Republic of Dagestan has killed 11 people, including two children, and injured 21 others, according to the Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM).
The explosion occurred at around 6:00pm on Friday. The exact cause of the incident remains unclear.
“The gas station building in Dagestan is destroyed. The service station and the canteen are burning, covering an area of 500 square meters. Two cars and a truck have been damaged,” the ministry stated after first responders arrived on the scene.
Fire crews reportedly initially refrained from engaging the flames due to the risk of secondary explosions.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show a secondary blast rocking the heavily damaged area in the evening, throwing debris several meters into passing traffic.
The fire was eventually extinguished shortly before 10pm. In a video posted by the ministry, crews are seen conducting search operations in the rubble of the building.
The region’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case regarding the incident and will investigate the gas station for potential safety violations or criminal negligence.