Gas pipeline sabotaged in southern Russia
Investigators think an explosion that ripped through a gas pipeline in the southern Russian region of Dagestan was caused by sabotage and have opened a criminal case on charges of terrorism, the regional Interior Ministry said today.
Two firefighters were injured as they responded to the blaze that broke out on the region’s main gas pipeline at about 10pm (8pm Irish time) yesterday, just west of the capital Makhachkala, said Murtazali Gadzhiyev, Dagestan’s regional emergency situations minister.
Nineteen bystanders sustained burns and were taken to hospital, said Dagestani Deputy Interior Minister Magomed Omarov.
A second explosion occurred about 25 minutes after the fire broke out, said Sergei Kozhemyak, a spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry’s southern branch.
Investigators initially attributed the explosion to a technical accident, but Omarov said it was now attributed to terrorism, according to preliminary information.
Chechen rebel leaders have threatened and been blamed for attacks against pipelines, electricity towers and other infrastructure in Russia. Terrorism was suspected in a June oil pipeline rupture in Dagestan, which borders Chechnya.
Yesterday’s explosion left several districts of Dagestan and the neighbouring Caspian Sea nation of Azerbaijan without gas, NTV television reported. The state-controlled Gazprom natural gas company promised to restore supplies by tonight.
