A fire at a petrol station in Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya, has claimed the lives of at least four people, including two children.
The incident occurred on Saturday, according to reports from Russia’s Emergency Ministry.
More than two dozen firefighters battled the flames at the nearly destroyed petrol station, with several burnt-out vehicles.
The fire, which started on Mohammad Ali Avenue, close to the city centre, has since been extinguished.
The exact cause of the blast has not yet been confirmed, but local officials have launched a criminal investigation.
This tragic event follows a series of similar incidents in Russia’s North Caucasus region.
Ramzan Kadyrov’s, the leader of Chechnya, said in a statement that he had taken the situation under his personal control.
He said that those responsible for the blast would be brought to justice, but did not give further details.
Last month, an explosion at a petrol station in Dagestan, a neighbouring region, killed 13 people.
Grozny is located around 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) south of Moscow, and this latest explosion adds to the growing concerns over the safety of fuel stations in the region.
