An explosion tore through a service station in Russia's Caucasus republic of Dagestan Friday, killing at least 10 people and wounding 11 others, the emergency situations ministry said. Two children were among the dead, the ministry added on social media network Telegram. The initial ministry statement had put the toll at five dead and three wounded without giving a cause for the blast. "The station's building is destroyed," it posted on Telegram. "The technical area and the cafeteria are burning over a surface of 500 square metres." The ministry update said the fire had been brought under control but not yet extinguished. Almost 120 rescuers were working at the scene south of Dagestan's capital Makhachkala, it added. In August 2023, an explosion followed by a fire at a service station in a Makhachkala suburb killed 37 people and injured 119. Such accidents are frequent in Russia where violations of safety standards and ageing facilities often cause them.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan