14:22, 14 January 2008

Victims of explosion in apartment block in Stavropol Territory are now six in number

The number of casualties of the explosion of utility gas in the five-storey apartment block in Lenina Street in Zheleznovodsk has reached six persons. Oksana Starikova, head of the press service of the Chief Department of the RF's Ministry for Emergencies for the Stavropol Territory, has informed today the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent about it: "Six persons were killed, three more were hospitalized."

According to her story, people can still remain under the ruins.

She has confirmed that, under the preliminary version, the cause of the explosion could be in casual handling of a gas stove.

"However, it is only a working version, it may change. This is the issue of the investigation," the Ministry's spokeswoman has asserted.

According to the Ministry for Emergencies of the Stavropol Territory, the explosion took place today at 2:18 a.m. Moscow time in the fifth floor of a five-storey apartment block. Four apartments were destroyed.

Author: Elena Kostenko, CK correspondent