Fire at Chechnya petrol station kills four, including children

Fire at Chechnya petrol station kills four, including children
In this photo taken from video released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Oct. 12, 2024, firefighters extinguish a large fire after an explosion at a gas station in Grozny, the capital of Chechen republic of Russia, which killed at least four people. (AP)

MOSCO — A fire at a petrol station in Russia’s Chechnya killed four people, including two children, emergency services said Saturday.

Authorities released images of more than two dozen firefighters extinguishing the blaze at an almost totally destroyed petrol station with burnt-out cars in Chechnya’s main city, Groznyy.

“Unfortunately, four people died, including two children,” Russia’s emergency ministry said.

It said the fire had been put out.

Officials said the petrol station is on Grozny’s Mohammad Ali Avenue, close to the center of the Chechen capital.

Social media videos showed a large explosion with flames going into the air.

Russia’s North Caucasus has seen several deadly blasts at service stations recently.

Last month, an explosion at a petrol station in the neighboring Dagestan region killed 13 people. In August 2023, a similar explosion killed 35 people in Dagestan and injured dozens.

AN-AFP