Pipeline explosion triggers roaring blaze in Moscow

Source: Xinhua | 05-11-2009 07:55

MOSCOW, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A gas pipeline explosion triggered a massive fire in southwest Moscow early on Sunday, sending flames up to 200 meters into the air and setting two adjacent buildings ablaze.

Flames are seen on Bolshaya Ochakovskaya street after an explosion in Moscow May 10, 2009. A gas pipeline exploded in southwest Moscow early on Sunday, sending flames 100 metres into the air and setting buildings and cars ablaze.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Xinhua correspondent saw the scene at 08:20 local time (0420 GMT) Sunday at the Michurin Street in southwest Moscow, 300 meters away from the fire spot on the Bolshaya Ochakovskaya Street.

Five people were injured in the fire which broke out at around 00:30 Moscow time (2030 GMT Saturday), said Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry. No fatalities have been reported so far.

The area was cordoned off. Uniformed personnel from Russia's Interior Ministry were maintaining order and policemen were directing the traffic.

A woman official from the ministry told Xinhua that all the valves of the ruptured pipeline had been shut down, and the gas was now burning out under lower pressure. The fire has been brought under control.

The two buildings affected by the blaze, including an office building and another under construction, were not occupied, she said.

Vadim Mikhaylov in light yellow fire-fighting suit said: "This is the most severe fire I've seen in Moscow in recent years. The flames at its peak reached 200 meters, but now are reduced to some 70 meters."

"No rescuers were injured in the fire, but even if in the heat-insulating suits, we cannot work for a long time. We have to take turns to fight the flames," said Mikhaylov, chief of an independent fire-fighting team "Digger rescue."