Two people were killed and four others injured after an explosion caused by a gas leak hit a five-story apartment block in Russia's southwestern city of Astrakhan, local emergency officials said on August 8. The explosion caused a fire in four apartments that was extinguished by firefighters. Seventy residents were evacuated. Gas explosions occur frequently in Russia due to aging pipelines and infrastructure, as well as lax safety standards. (TASS, RBK)
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