Three people injured in southern Russia bus explosion in grave condition

Three people injured in a passenger bus explosion in Voronezh in southern Russia are in grave condition, the press office of Russia’s Health Ministry reported on Friday.

"One person died and 19 people were injured in a passenger bus explosion in Voronezh. Those injured were taken to Voronezh hospitals with various injures: the doctors assess the health condition of three people as grave and eight others are in medium severity condition," TASS cited the statement as saying.

Seven other people received outpatient medical care, the Health Ministry specified.

The explosion occurred in a PAZ public transport bus near a shopping mall in Voronezh on Thursday evening. The city’s transport department reported that the bus used diesel fuel and had no gas equipment. Investigators have opened a criminal case under part 2 of article 238 of Russia’s Criminal Code ("Provision of Services that Fail to Meet Safety Requirements").

Russian Investigative Committee Head Alexander Bastrykin has placed the investigation under the central department’s control. On his instruction, experienced criminal law experts and investigators of the Committee’s central department have left for Voronezh to provide practical assistance in inspecting the incident site and clear up all the circumstances of the bus explosion.