Six dead after gas blast in Russia (VIDEOS)
Six people, including a child, have died after a powerful gas explosion tore through a residential building in the Russian city of Saratov on Friday. Emergency crews are searching for survivors under the rubble, with officials warning the death toll may rise.
Footage from the scene in the city located on the Volga River some 730km southeast of Moscow showed a ten-story building with an upper corner missing.
Videos show streets littered with debris from the blast, some of which was apparently propelled far enough to damage the walls of nearby buildings. Media reports said people on the ground were injured by falling debris.
Officials have yet to identify the victims, although one is said to be a child. At least ten people were reportedly pulled out of the rubble by first responders, including a young girl.
Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin said the priority is to swiftly recover possible survivors and ensure that the building is not at risk of further collapse. An evacuation of the block was announced.
Emergency services have opened a temporary shelter for affected people at a local school. Over 100 rescue workers have been dispatched to deal with the situation.
