Russia military police building collapses near Saint Petersburg, causes unclear
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
An image circulating online that is said to show the site of the collapse in Sertolovo, a small village just outside Saint Petersburg.
PHOTO: X/@MEDIAZZZONA
- A Russian military police building collapsed on an army base near Saint Petersburg on Feb 17, with preliminary reports of casualties.
- Authorities are probing a potential fire safety violation, while local media reported three deaths resulted from an explosion.
- Governor Drozdenko instructed security forces to assist military in clearing rubble and rescuing victims from the site.
AI generated
MOSCOW - A Russian military police building collapsed on the grounds of an army base outside Saint Petersburg, the local governor said Feb 17, adding that authorities were probing the causes of the incident.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it had opened an investigation into a potential fire safety violation.
“It has been preliminarily established that there are casualties as a result of the incident,” it said.
Gas leaks are a frequent cause for explosions in Soviet-era buildings in Russia, where gas is often used for heating and cooking.
Authorities gave no immediate indication that the collapse happened because of a gas leak.
“I have instructed the security forces to assist the military in clearing the rubble and rescuing victims following the collapse of a military police building on the territory of a military unit in Sertolovo,” governor Alexander Drozdenko said.
Sertolovo is a small village just outside Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second-biggest city.
Local media outlet 47news reported that three people died in the incident, citing emergency services.
It reported that the collapse was caused by an “explosion”.
The outlet also published an unverified photo purporting to show the building, a grey three-storey block with damage visible on at least two floors.
Russia has been regularly hit with sabotage attacks on military bases and civilian infrastructure since the start of its Ukraine offensive nearly four years ago. AFP
