On Monday night, August 14, an explosion at a gas station claimed the lives of 35 individuals and injured a minimum of 115 people.
The explosion took place in Dagestan, a region in southern Russia, as reported by Russia’s Health Ministry.
The initial cause was a fire at an adjacent car repair shop that rapidly engulfed the gas station.
Of the total injured, 65, which included 16 children, are currently in hospitals. Reports indicate that 11 of these individuals, including two children, are facing life-threatening injuries. The fatalities include three children.
Dagestan’s administration declared Tuesday a mourning day and committed to financially assisting the victims and their kin. Families who lost members will be provided with 1 million rubles (equivalent to $10,000). The injured are set to receive financial aid ranging between 200,000 and 400,000 rubles (translating to $2,000-$4,000).
The authorities have initiated a formal investigation into the explosion. This incident marks the most significant tragedy since a fire in Tver in April 2022, which resulted in 22 deaths.
In a separate event on the same night, an explosion in an oil mine in the Khanty-Mansiysk region of Siberia caused two deaths and injured five. This explosion is among several recent incidents in Russia, including another explosion earlier this month near Moscow.
