Apartment block has two storeys collapsed in Russia’s Nizhnevartovsk, 4 deaths confirmed so far

Two storeys of a five-flight apartment block collapsed in Russia’s Nizhnevartovsk, TASS cites emergency services.

Russia’s Emergency Ministry has confirmed four people to have lost their lives. Ten more people have been admitted to hospital, the local city hall reports.

The rescuers are now clearing the rubble. A total of 52 individuals were evacuated from the building and sent to a temporary accommodation facility. A fire on the fourth storey remains unextinguished, 112, a Telegram channel, reports.

The house may have collapsed due to an explosion of domestic gas, says Dmitry Koshchenko, the local mayor. The building has no regular gas supply, so a remote gas cylinder was probably the cause.

The emergency service told TASS that the reason behind the explosion is improper installation and usage of a gas cylinder.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal procedure on wrongful death charges. “According to preliminary data, the incident killed 4 people and injured at least 5, the removal of rubble continues,” the agency said in a statement.