Fuel tank explosion in Grozny leaves four dead, chaos ensues
Four people have died, and five were injured following a fuel tank explosion at a petrol station in Grozny, in the Chechen Republic, part of the Russian Federation. Disturbing footage of the explosion has been shared online.
On Saturday evening, firefighters managed to extinguish the fire at the petrol station, which broke out earlier that afternoon in the Akhmat district in Grozny. A pillar of fire several metres high could be seen above the petrol station, followed by an explosion.
The tank turned into a missile
Apart from a massive ball of fire, the footage shared online shows, among other things, a fuel tank that turned into a missile following the explosion. The several-tonne structure was propelled into the air and travelled over 300 metres.
Four people were in the "flight" path and died instantly. The person who managed to capture the moment of the explosion miraculously survived.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the victims were children aged three and five, their mother, and a local resident. Five people were injured.
Everything within a 50-metre radius burned
On Saturday night, investigators arrived at the scene to begin their examination. The petrol station was completely destroyed. Several cars in the vicinity were also damaged. The Izvestia portal reports that within a 50-metre radius of the explosion, everything was incinerated.
The shock wave shattered windows in numerous houses. At this time, the cause of the fire remains unknown.
