A loud explosion took place in a residential building in Russia’s St. Petersburg close to the site where explosives were found earlier, witnesses told local media. No one was hurt during the explosion, RIA news agency reported citing emergencies ministry.
What Happened?
The blast apparently originated in an apartment building in eastern St. Petersburg. Photos and videos from the scene show the damaged side of a 16th floor building and debris scattered on the ground below it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBYiYMAgnKE
Rescue services are evacuating residents from the building and investigating the cause of the blast. Interfax cited head of the administration of the district Konstantin Serov as saying that the incident was construction related and caused no injuries.
https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/849967483675189249
Earlier on Thursday, another residential building in St. Petersburg was evacuated after an explosive device was found in one of its apartments, a city official said, adding that the device was later defused and police had made several arrests connected with the incident. This latest explosion comes just days after a terrorist detonated a device on a metro train, killing 14 and wounding 50.
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea. It was the imperial capital for 2 centuries, having been founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, subject of the city’s iconic “Bronze Horseman” statue. It remains Russia’s cultural center, with venues like the ultramodern Mariinsky Theatre hosting opera and ballet, and the State Russian Museum showcasing Russian art, from Orthodox icon paintings to Kandinsky works. It has a population of 4.991 million.
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