Deadly Fireball Rocks Russian Petrol Station
A terrifying fire and explosion tore through a petrol station in Dagestan, southern Russia, killing at least 25 people, including three children. Dozens more were injured in the devastating blast, according to Interfax.
Destruction at Makhachkala’s Highway Garage
The disaster began at an auto repair shop beside a highway in Makhachkala, Dagestan’s capital. Flames quickly spread, triggering fierce explosions that engulfed a nearby petrol station. One horrified witness likened the scene to a war zone, highlighting the scale of chaos and wreckage.
Mass Casualties and Emergency Response
- 66 injured, 10 in critical condition
- 13 children among the wounded
- 260 firefighters battled the blaze for over three hours
Authorities rushed an aircraft to the scene to airlift the most seriously hurt to Moscow, as confirmed by Russia’s emergency ministry on Telegram. Officials, including Dagestan’s administration head Sergei Melikov, are probing the cause of the 9:40pm (6:40pm GMT) Monday night explosion.
Harrowing Eyewitness Accounts and Aftermath
A witness told Russian daily Izvestia the fire started near parked cars and spread rapidly to the petrol pumps. The blast was “blinding and disorienting,” with flying debris creating havoc.
Video footage from RIA news showed towering flames and a colossal explosion consuming roughly 600 square metres (6,450 sq ft). Fire crews wrestled with the inferno for hours.
Another Russian Oilfield Tragedy
The petrol station disaster comes shortly after a deadly explosion at the Talinskoye oil field in West Siberia’s Khanty-Mansiisk region. That blast killed two and injured five, setting fire to a 100-square-metre area. The cause remains unknown but has added to the region’s recent troubles.
