A gas explosion in an apartment building in Karachayevo-Cherkessia, Russia, killed at least four people and injured 11 others, according to local authorities.
The blast partially collapsed the top two floors of a five-story building in Cherkessk, the regional capital.
Initially, officials reported one death, later updating the toll to four, with 52 residents evacuated from the building.
Governor Rashid Temrezov stated on Telegram that he is monitoring the situation closely.
Rescuers have managed to pull several people from the rubble alive and are continuing to search for more survivors. Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into potential safety violations.
Gas explosions are unfortunately common in Russian residential buildings, especially in aging Soviet-era apartment blocks, where maintenance is often delayed or neglected. In a similar incident in August, a gas explosion in the Sverdlovsk region killed seven people.
