Blast kills 16 in N Russia shop

[Pert_UK]

"An explosion has killed at least 16 people in a shop in the northern Russian town of Ukhta, officials at the emergencies ministry say.

Police said early indications pointed to a gas cylinder explosion, Interfax news agency reported. It struck the two-storey building at 1358 (0958 GMT).

Ukhta lies in the Komi region in Russia's far north, some 1,500km (930 miles) from Moscow.

The town has a population of about 100,000."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4671925.stm

[Ilsa]

1. Kick.

The report is now referring to Komi as "oil rich". I'm not sure I understand the implications of this violence. Would anyone like to elaborate? Thanks.

[davepc]

2. Who said it was an act of violence?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-07-11-russia-explosion_x.htm

Vadim Zhuravlev, a duty officer at the Komi regional department of the Russian Interior Ministry, said a fire had raced through a store selling gas fireplaces, and that eight people had died of smoke inhalation.

He was unsure whether the fire had been preceded by an explosion.

There was no information about what had caused the blast in the two-story brick building, said Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov.

But Interfax, citing police, said that investigators had tentatively concluded that a natural gas canister had blown up. It said that the blast was followed by a fire.

Bit presumptuous.

[Ilsa]

3. Yep. I shouldn't have presumed or jumped to conclusions. n/t