On Friday, July 25, a residential building in Saratov, Russia, suffered a catastrophic partial collapse following a household gas explosion. The blast severely damaged the first entrance of a multi-story building on Blinova Street, leaving at least three people dead, including a child, and trapping others beneath the debris.
Authorities are continuing to evacuate all residents due to fears of further structural collapse. According to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM), the explosion caused the corner entrance of the building to disintegrate from the seventh to the tenth floor.
"Some of the debris landed on nearby pedestrians," reported *Mash*, "causing additional injuries."
The explosion is believed to have originated near a gas pipeline running above the road close to the building. Visual footage from the scene shows the top five floors completely destroyed, with lower-level apartments damaged to varying degrees. A mountain of rubble lies at the foot of the structure.
Rescue Teams Pull Survivors from the Rubble
Emergency crews continue to extract residents from under the collapsed structure. Several people had been trapped in their apartments. Among the first survivors pulled out was a five-year-old girl, who had been pinned by a concrete slab. After her rescue, another 10 people were saved.
Over 20 EMERCOM workers and rescue dogs are currently inspecting the area, as shattered building material litters sidewalks for dozens of meters around the site.
Negligence and Criminal Investigation
Reports from *Mash* claim the building saw at least three different property management companies in the past year, none of which conducted gas leak inspections. Frustrated residents reportedly created their own homeowners' association in response to inadequate oversight.
Local sources also alleged that the odorant compound — typically added to natural gas for leak detection — was no longer present in gas supplies in Saratov’s Leninsky District, raising further concerns.
"Residents couldn't smell the gas, which may have contributed to the severity of the blast," according to witnesses.
A criminal case has been opened. At the direction of the regional prosecutor, a full investigation is underway to determine the causes of the explosion and assess possible negligence or mismanagement.
The Saratov tragedy has reignited national debate over gas safety, housing inspections, and the accountability of utility providers and regulators in Russian cities.
