Fatal gas explosion destroys high-rise building in Saratov, leaving three dead PHOTO/VIDEO/UPDATED

A powerful gas explosion tore through a residential high-rise in the Russian city of Saratov, killing three people—including a child—and causing a massive collapse spanning ten floors.

The blast occurred at 11:12 a.m. local time in a building on Blinova Street. According to preliminary information from SHOT, the explosion originated in an apartment on the ninth floor, likely caused by a domestic gas leak. The impact was devastating, bringing down apartments from the first to the tenth floors.

Emergency services confirmed that three people have been killed so far, among them a child. Several other individuals, including bystanders, were trapped beneath the debris. Roughly 30 minutes after the explosion, rescuers pulled a child and five other survivors from the rubble. All have been hospitalized, with their conditions currently unknown.

The blast also caused structural damage to an adjacent building and destroyed dozens of vehicles parked nearby. Emergency crews and investigators remain on the scene.

In response to the tragedy, the Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation under charges of providing services that do not meet safety requirements, a move aimed at identifying any negligence or violations that may have led to the explosion.

13:14

Rescue teams in Saratov have successfully pulled a five-year-old girl alive from the rubble of the gas explosion-devastated high-rise on Blinova Street.

Trapped beneath a slab, the child’s survival marks the first confirmed live rescue from the collapsed structure, Caliber.Az reports.

Following the girl’s extraction, rescuers have saved an additional ten individuals from the debris. All survivors were immediately transported to nearby hospitals for urgent medical care.

Authorities continue to evacuate residents from the surrounding buildings due to the persistent risk of further explosions or structural collapse. 

13:04

A devastating gas explosion struck a high-rise residential building on Blinova Street in Saratov, Russia, resulting in the collapse of a significant portion of the structure and claiming three lives.

Emergency services have confirmed that three people died as a direct result of the blast, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Mash Telegram channel.

Among the victims was a woman who later succumbed to her injuries in hospital. Earlier reports from SHOT had indicated two fatalities, but the toll has since risen.

The explosion not only caused the partial collapse of the building but also inflicted damage on an adjacent structure. Numerous vehicles parked in the vicinity were damaged by the blast and falling debris.

Rescue teams are currently searching for survivors, with reports indicating that several individuals remain trapped beneath the rubble, including passersby caught in the vicinity at the time of the explosion. Authorities are evacuating residents from nearby buildings amid fears the damaged high-rise may suffer a total collapse.

Preliminary investigations suggest a gas leak as the probable cause of the catastrophic explosion.

By Vafa Guliyeva