Explosion at fuel station in Russia's Dagestan claims 10 lives

An explosion at a petrol station in Russia's Caspian Sea region of Dagestan killed 10 people on Friday, including two children, the emergencies ministry said.

A ministry statement on the Telegram messaging app said 11 people were injured in the blast outside the regional capital of Makhachkala. It said rescue teams had been recovering bodies from under rubble and brought a fire under control.

A health ministry official told Russian news agencies that eight people were being treated in hospital, including one in serious condition.

Dagenergo, the regional power operator, said the explosion damaged "energy objects" and that power supply was partially disrupted in nearby districts.

A local branch of the Investigative Committee, which deals with serious crimes in Russia, said it had opened a criminal case and was establishing the circumstances of the incident.