Six people have died and eight have been pulled from under the rubble of a two-story building, in the wake of a household gas blast that destroyed two flats and trapped sleeping residents in Ivanovo, Russia, RT reports.
Rescuers continued searching for survivors in the rubble of the damaged block of flats early on Sunday, after pulling eight people out alive and finding six victims, including a 4-year-old girl. The building reportedly housed 21 people. Nearly a third of the building was destroyed, including several flats on top floor.
A total of 356 people and 68 vehicles are working at the site including 286 emergencies services' workers and 37 vehicles.
Emergency workers had to observe several “minutes of silence” to try and detect survivors trapped under concrete blocks. A total of 15 people have been evacuated, four of them hospitalized. Thirteen residents have been rescued from the ruins, and three managed to exit the building on their own.
A strong smell of household gas was reported at the site immediately after the explosion. Witnesses recalled people crying for help from under the collapsed floor. Two flats were completely destroyed by the explosion. It did not start a fire, however.
The regional investigative committee has launched an inquiry into the blast.
"Preliminary analysis of the situation and primary investigative activities currently give basis to consider a gas leak as the main version," the statement of the committee said. According to the local emergencies service, the search and rescue operation, involving over 350 rescuers, has been finished, Sputnik writes.
