An explosion ripped through a service station in Russia’s Caucasus Republic of Dagestan on Friday, killing at least nine people and injuring 10 others, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Among the victims were two children, the ministry announced on the social media platform Telegram.
An earlier statement from the ministry reported five deaths and three injuries but did not specify the cause of the explosion.
“The station building has been destroyed. The technical area and cafeteria are engulfed in flames, covering an area of 500 square meters,” the ministry said on Telegram.
The ministry later confirmed that the fire had been controlled but had not been fully extinguished.
Nearly 120 rescuers were deployed to the scene, located just south of Dagestan’s capital, Makhachkala.
In August 2023, a similar incident occurred when an explosion followed by a fire at a service station in a Makhachkala suburb killed 37 people and injured 119.
Such accidents are common in Russia, where safety violations and aging infrastructure are frequent causes.
