Explosion and blaze at Alania Mall in Russia's Vladikavkaz: Casualties reported

An explosion followed by a fire occurred at the Alania Mall shopping centre on Moskovskoye Highway in Vladikavkaz.

The explosion happened around 8:30 AM on the top floor, while the mall was closed to visitors, with operations set to begin at 10 AM, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

The blast caused windows to shatter, and at least one person was confirmed dead, with several others injured.

 

 

 

 

 

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North Ossetia's Governor Sergei Menyailo confirmed that an operational headquarters had been set up at the scene, with law enforcement and rescue services on site. He said, "I left for the area of the Alania Mall shopping centre, where the fire occurred. On the spot, operational headquarters, law enforcers, and rescue services are working."

The fire covered an area of 800 square meters, affecting the third floor and the roof. It was categorized as a third-degree fire, and efforts to contain the flames were underway. Dense smoke was rising from the building as the emergency teams worked to localize the fire and search for any potential victims still trapped inside.

Preliminary information suggested that the explosion was caused by a domestic gas leak on the fourth floor, which triggered the fire. At the time of the incident, there were no visitors in the mall, but several employees and passers-by were injured. According to the latest reports, nine people were injured in total.

Sergei Menyailo confirmed that one woman died as a result of the explosion. She had been inside the building during the incident. The condition of another victim, who was taken away by medics, is still being clarified. Operational services emphasized that the mall had been closed at the time, and the injuries were limited to employees and bystanders.

The area surrounding the mall has been cordoned off, and an investigation team has begun working on-site. Authorities are conducting a thorough examination of the premises for fire centers and searching for any potential survivors or additional victims.

By Tamilla Hasanova