Five people sustained minor wounds as an apartment exploded after a gas leak in a nine-story apartment building on Aug. 11 in the city of Kharkiv, some 400 kilometers east of Kyiv.
The State Emergency Service says the incident was initially reported at 3:21 p.m. local time when the building’s occupants called the local fire-fighting division regarding an explosion in one of the apartments.
As the emergency response team arrived at the scene, they discovered fire coming from the ground floor and also from a second-floor balcony.
According to neighbors, before the explosion there was a strong smell of household gas present in the building. As local gas service technicians were inspecting the scene to reveal possible gas leaks, an explosion burst.
“As a result, the apartment’s front door, windows, and balcony frame were blown off, while the entranceway doors and the concrete balcony foundation were ruined,” the Kharkiv emergency service said.
Despite the strong explosion, no critical damage to the building’s framework was spotted.
By 4:11 p.m., the fire was ultimately extinguished. According to the official report, five people were rescued at the scene, including three children, and 12 more dwellers were evacuated.
The incident resulted with five people sustaining minor cuts and fragmentation wounds.
“They received medical aid at the scene and declined to be hospitalized,” the report says.
