LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – At least 30 people have been killed in an explosion and fire at a petrol station in Dagestan in Southern Russia.
The blast occurred in the regional capital Makhachkala, which sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea, at 21:40 local time (18:40 GMT).
The exact cause of the incident which reportedly injured dozens of other people, is still uncertain.
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An un-identified witness quoted by the Russian newspaper, Izvestia, said the fire had started on a car lot opposite the petrol station.
“After the explosion, everything fell on our heads. We couldn’t see anything anymore,” the witness said.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said the fire had broken out during some car maintenance work and had been “followed by a bang”.
A criminal case has been opened to establish the circumstances leading up to the incident, the Committee added.
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Another 75 people were reportedly injured in the blast in Dagestan’s capital, Makhachkala, the State news agency (TASS) reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Emergency Management.
The authority had initially spoken of 27 dead. The search for victims and clearing of debris is still ongoing, it said.
An investigation has been launched into the explosion to find out its cause.
It is however, thought that a disregard for safety regulations may have caused the explosion.