On November 18, an explosion on a gas pipeline in Omsk region (Russia) caused a major fire, according to Governor Vitaly Khotsenko's confirmation on Telegram.
He said rescue forces were present in the area and the situation did not pose a danger to residents in the area. The regional security agency said the fire was under control and no casualties were reported.
The incident was reported in an area near Rostovka village, where social media users posted many videos of a firebreak that broke out from the pipeline early in the morning.
According to initial assessments by local authorities, a gas leak may have occurred before the pipeline exploded. Mr. Khotsenko said that the incident appeared on the underground pipeline section of the main branch and experts are continuing to isolate and handle the leak.
Rescue teams and technical forces are cooling the area, and authorities have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. Some Russian Telegram channels said Rostovka residents reported a smell of chemicals in the air after the blast, but the authorities have not confirmed the information.
TASS news agency quoted Omsk security agency as saying that the fire occurred during the repair of the pipeline. On-site forces quickly isolated the area and controlled the fire, and continued to survey the scene to verify related factors. The Omsk region is located in southwestern Siberia, about 2,000km from Moscow.
Some international sources also recalled recent reports of Ukrainian defense forces attacking the Novokuibyshevsk refinery in Russia's Samara region, but the incident was not related to the Omsk pipeline explosion.
