Officials cited by Russian news agencies have reported that a blast and fire at a building belonging to Russia’s FSB security service in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don have resulted in at least one fatality and two injuries.

On Thursday, Reuters recorded footage of thick black smoke rising into the sky close to residential buildings and a shopping center in Rostov. The city is the capital of a region that shares borders with areas in eastern Ukraine where conflict with Russia is ongoing, the Guardian reported.

According to a statement by the FSB, the explosion and subsequent fire at a building in Rostov-on-Don was caused by a workshop fire involving fuel and lubricants, resulting in the partial collapse of the section of the building housing the FSB’s border patrol unit.

According to Vasily Golubev, the governor of Rostov, the fire seemed to have resulted from an electrical short-circuit. He also mentioned that neighboring buildings were cleared out during the fire’s occurrence, as reported by the Guardian.

As per reports from Russian news agencies, emergency services have stated that one individual has lost their life and two others have sustained injuries.

Written by staff