At least 30 people died, including three children, in a fire at a fuel station in the southern Russian region of Dagestan late on Monday, reported Reuters citing Russia's emergency services ministry. It added that the fire began at an auto repair shop on the roadside of a highway in Dagestani capital Makhachkala on Monday night. According to officials, the fire caused blasts as it spread to the nearby filling station, the report stated.
"It's like a war here," the report quoted a witness as saying.
Visuals posted online showed firefighters trying to put out the flames as they rose high in the night sky.
"During the rescue operation in Makhachkala, the bodies of three more victims were found," the ministry said on Telegram, as quoted by Reuters. "According to the updated information, as a result of the fire at the petrol station 105 were injured, and of them, 30 died," he added.
TASS reported citing a statement from the Russian emergency service that it took firefighters over three and a half hours to douse the fire that spread into an area of 600 square metres.
Air Strikes Hit Western Ukraine, 2 Injured In Lutsk
In another incident, a series of air strikes struck western parts of Ukraine during the early hours of Tuesday. The attack impacted two cities and resulted in a few injuries. Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi said thatt "residential buildings got hit" in a missile strike. Meanwhile, Volyn regional governor Yuriy Poguliaiko stated that a strike targeting an industrial area in the city of Lutsk led to the injury of two individuals.