Gas Explosion in Residential Building in Mykolaiv Region Kills Two, Injures Three

According to rescuers, two people may still be trapped.

A household gas explosion occurred in a residential building in the city of Nova Odesa in Mykolaiv Region, destroying the 4th and 5th floors of the building. We explain what is known at the latest update. 

"An explosion occurred in the corner section of a five-story residential building in the city of Nova Odesa (preliminarily household gas on the 5th floor), as a result of which the 4th and 5th floors were destroyed," the statement from the State Emergency Service said.

Emergency evacuation was carried out of 62 residents of the affected building and more than 20 residents of the neighboring building. 

In total, four apartments were destroyed by the blast: two on the fourth floor and two on the fifth floor.

Three people were injured: one person preliminarily has a broken arm and a spinal injury, and two people are in a state of shock.

Later, the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration reported that an elderly man, who was evacuated from the neighboring entrance, had died. According to preliminary information, he died of cardiac arrest against the background of cardiovascular insufficiency.

At 16:46, State Emergency Service units recovered the body of a woman from an apartment on the 4th floor. Medics pronounced the woman dead.

At the same time, a State Emergency Service crane is carrying out work to dismantle the destroyed structural elements of the building.

184 people and 42 pieces of equipment have been mobilized for emergency recovery and other urgent work.

The explosion was preliminarily classified as a local-level man-made emergency.

A city headquarters for eliminating the consequences of the emergency has been set up in the Nova Odesa territorial community. Representatives of the Mykolaiv Regional Organization of the Red Cross Society of Ukraine have set up a headquarters to assist the victims.

Local authorities are providing assistance to the affected residents and are addressing the issue of temporary relocation. 

The State Emergency Service added that two people may remain trapped.