Russia’s St Petersburg witnesses huge fireball after explosion

Massive fires and clouds of noxious smoke blanketed St. Petersburg.

Media outlets in the area tweeted about a loud explosion, with some users wondering if it was just a regular fire or another explosion.

The fire was seen on camera in Vsevolozhsk, a residential suburb approximately 24 kilometers (15 miles) east of St. Petersburg, with flames soaring into the air like a mushroom cloud.


As reported by official outlets, the explosion was triggered by the rupture of a gas pipeline in the Leningrad area.

According to the regional governor, the fire is contained and poses no danger to the local population.

At least nine people, including four children, were killed in an explosion caused by a gas leak in a residential building on the Russian island of Sakhalin just hours earlier.

The blast happened on the Russian island of Sakhalin in the Pacific Ocean, not far from Japan to the north.


A gas cylinder ruptured at 5:30 this morning in one of the apartments.

Local news outlet tvzvezda claims rescue workers and surgeons are operating on victims in the home's courtyard.

Rescue workers are searching the rubble for any other bodies that may be buried. More than 50 people, including volunteers, are participating in the operation.

There were 33 confirmed occupants of the building, but three people are still missing.

FAQs

1. How many people are missing from the building?
   Three people are still missing.
2. How many people were killed?
   Nine people, along with four children, lost their lives.