Natural gas leak causes blow of section of apartment building in Russia

Natural gas leak causes blow of section of apartment building in Russia

An explosion caused by a natural gas leak thundered through a section of an apartment building in a Russian city, injuring at least two residents.

The explosion occurred late Wednesday in a four-story apartment building in the Volga River city of Samara, reducing a section of it to rubble, said Viktor Beltsov, a spokesman for Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry. Rescue workers were looking through the debris for more victims, he said.

Beltsov said the explosion appeared to have been caused by a gas leak.

Neglect of safety precautions has led to frequent gas explosions in Russian apartment buildings and public facilities.