Volgograd: number of explosion casualties increased to three

In Volgograd, while clearing the ruins of the building partially collapsed after the explosion, rescuers found the body of the third victim. This was reported by a staff member of the Department for the Volgograd Region of the Russian Ministry for Emergencies (MfE). The victim was identified as 24-year-old Albina Bogatova, who was visiting her friends at the time of the explosion.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 20 an explosion occurred in a residential building in Volgograd, which destroyed a flight of the building from the second up to the ninth levels. It was reported about 12 wounded and five dead tenants; however, only two deaths have been officially confirmed so far.

"There were two other guys at the apartment. They were in the kitchen, and Albina was in the hall. The kitchen was not destroyed, and young people stayed alive. And their guest died. Her body was found when rescuers were clearing the ruins of the block on the second floor," reports Natalia Kunitskaya, Assistant to the Chief of the Investigating Department for the Volgograd Region of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), as quoted by the "Rossiyskaya Gazeta".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported two other victims of the tragedy in Volgograd were 76-year-old man and his 25-year-old grandson, the tenants of the apartment on the seventh floor, where the explosion had occurred.

Let us remind you that investigators are considering two versions of the explosion – wrong handling of gas equipment during repair works, and an incident of domestic nature with natural gas. At the same time, according to neighbours, tenants of No. 64, where the explosion occurred, brought home and stored ammunition and cylinders with gas and gasoline.