Explosion in Kyiv residential high-rise building takes lives of two

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported the information.

"Preliminarily, two people died as a result of an explosion in a sixteen-story building in the Dniprovskyi district of the capital," the mayor wrote.

At 08:10 am, the fire was extinguished, the Kyiv City Military Administration (KCMA) said.

The evacuated residents will temporarily stay in 2 boarding schools in the Dniprovskiy district.

Photo: State Emergency Service

Earlier, 18 residents were reportedly rescued from the damaged apartments.

"Under the rubble in the damaged part of a 16-story building, where the explosion occurred, rescuers found the body of one person," Klitschko wrote. 

Search and rescue operations continue. Experts are currently investigating the cause of the explosion.

At 05:45 am, the fire at the explosion site was localized. 70 rescuers and 13 units of equipment are involved. Three psychologists of the State Emergency Service are working at the scene. 5 residents were provided with assistance.

At night, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported on Telegram: "A preliminary investigation revealed that a gas leak caused an explosion in a multi-storey residential building, affecting 2 floors. The fire has spread across an area of 150 square meters and is currently being extinguished. Search and rescue operations are underway to find people."

According to the State Emergency Service, at 03:45 am in the Dniprovskyi district, an explosion occurred in a 16-storey residential building on Malyshko Street. Preliminarily, it was caused by a gas leak on the 7th floor with subsequent destruction of the structures. According to preliminary information, 4 apartments were destroyed and 6 were damaged. 

Later, the KCMA clarified that 4 apartments were destroyed. The mayor of Kyiv added on his Telegram that 2 people were hospitalized. Later he added that 18 residents were rescued: "People were evacuated from all undamaged apartments. Two victims were hospitalized."