...

Death toll in Ukraine gas blast rises to 16

Other News Materials 16 October 2007 14:41 (UTC +04:00)

( RIA Novosti ) - The death toll following Saturday's gas explosion in Dnepropetrovsk in south-central Ukraine has risen to 16, including 5 children, the Ukrainian emergency situations ministry said Tuesday.

The blast, which occurred on October 13 in a nine-story apartment block in Ukraine's third-largest city, caused a section of the building to collapse, and also damaged ten neighboring buildings.

The ministry said 17 people, including three children, are still in hospital, and rescuers are continuing to search for ten people, including two children, believed missing in the blast.

According to preliminary information, the gas explosion occurred due to a sharp increase in pressure in the gas network. The Ukrainian Security Service ruled out terrorism.

Ukraine has declared October 16 a day of mourning for the victims of the blast.

The Ukrainian government has allocated 94 million hryvna ($18 million) for the blast victims and another 5 million hryvna (about $1 million) for clearing up the aftermath of the explosion.

Latest

Latest