On the night of August 14, an explosion occurred at a "Nafta 24" gas station in Makhachkala, Dagestan. The blast killed 35 and left over 100 injured. Sergey Melikov, the head of Dagestan, reported the damage caused by the incident.
The explosion occurred around 10:00 PM Moscow time on August 14. Official sources have confirmed that the casualties include three children among the 35 deceased. 102 individuals suffered injuries. 17 of the injured are waiting for a special flight to Moscow for medical treatment.
Sergey Melikov, head of Dagestan, said that the explosion was a consequence of "the desire to make a small profit," while disregarding safety measures. The Investigative Committee is examining the potential violation of regulations pertaining to the storage of hazardous agrochemicals, among other possibilities.
A criminal case has been initiated by the Investigative Committee under the charge of providing services that neglected the safety requirements for protecting the lives and well-being of consumers and resulted in the deaths of two or more persons.
Following the explosion, Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov ordered an inspection of the legality of all gas stations within Dagestan. The local authorities have declared August 15 a day of mourning.
According to the "Vyorstka" publication, the Dagestan explosion ranks as the deadliest incident in nearly two years. The previous major tragedy unfolded on November 25, 2021, when an explosion at the Listvyazhnaya mine claimed the lives of 51 individuals.
In 2022, two calamities resulted in the loss of dozens of lives. On April 21, a fire erupted on the territory of the Central Research Institute of the Air and Space Defense Forces in Tver, resulting in the deaths of 22 people. Another 22 died on December 23 in a fire at a private nursing home in Kemerovo.
