In the city of Sertolovo, Leningrad Region, a partial collapse of a military police building occurred on the territory of a military unit. Locals heard a loud explosion and smelled gunpowder. According to unofficial data, one person was injured and three others died. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on negligence and violation of fire safety requirements. Details are in the Gazeta.Ru article.
Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that on the territory of a military unit in the city of Sertolovo, Vsevolozhsk district, Leningrad region, a partial collapse of the military police building occurred.
He wrote on his Telegram channel: “I have directed the security sector to assist the army in clearing the rubble and rescuing the victims.”
The incident happened around 2:20 p.m. In a building with an area of 15 x 50 square meters, the second and third floors collapsed along with the attic, 78.ru wrote. The risk of further collapse remains.
According to Mash, three people died after the incident, one person was crushed by a falling monolith. There is no official information about the deceased.
“One person was rescued from the rubble <...> The victim was examined on the spot, everything was fine,”
— writes Telegram channel “112”.
“Mash on the Moika” clarifies that the victim escaped with bruises and refused to be hospitalized.
Doctors, units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Leningrad Regional Fire and Rescue Service are working on the spot. Mash said the rubble will be cleared by hand using heavy equipment to lift concrete slabs.
As the Petersburg Diary writes, two minibuses of the Russian Investigative Committee arrived at the scene of the incident. In addition, a demining team is working at the site, and police and Russian National Guard teams are on duty around the unit, Fontanka clarified.
The cause of the incident is being clarified. According to initial information, an explosion occurred.
The military prosecutor's office of the Leningrad military district took control of activities related to determining the cause of the building collapse and sent employees of the military prosecutor's office of the St. Petersburg garrison. Petersburg arrived on the scene.
Meanwhile, the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case for negligence and violation of fire safety requirements. The ministry admitted there were casualties due to the building collapse.
“Like shooting from a cannon”
Fontanka wrote, referring to the booth workers, that the sound of an explosion during the collapse of the military police building in Sertolovo was heard on the territory of the Preobrazhensky market – two kilometers from the scene of the incident. Witnesses emphasized that there was a loud bang.
“We heard an explosion and that was it. Ambulances and police rushed there. We didn't hear any screams. There was only one explosion, but it was very strong and smelled of gunpowder,” the publication's interlocutor noted.
Hoa Dinh clearly stated that the flower is “so big that it's startling”. An employee of the store located opposite the commandant's office confirmed in a conversation with 78.ru that the explosion was very strong.
“Even when there was an exercise and the tanks were firing, there was no such big explosion. Meaning the explosion was very strong,” he said.
However, another city resident, in a conversation with 47news, said he reacted calmly to the “roar” because he believed that the exercises had continued on the territory of the military unit.
“Just heard an explosion, like when cannons fired at the Peter and Paul Fortress, it echoed. I can only compare it to this, because I have never heard another explosion,” the local resident added.
