MOSCOW: An explosion that sparked a fire on a bridge to Crimea on Saturday caused massive damage to the train tracks and the roadway, sparking an official investigation in Russia and jubilation among Ukrainian officials.
At least three people were killed in the huge blast on the bridge on Saturday morning, Russia’s national investigation committee said citing preliminary findings, adding that the bodies were recovered from the water.
The images of the aftermath show a destroyed lane and car parts floating in the water underneath, as well as several burned-out wagons of a freighter train which is said to have transported diesel fuel.
According to the Russian Civil Protection Ministry, the fire has been extinguished.
Russia’s national investigation committee said that a truck had exploded on the road part of the bridge, causing seven fuel tanks of a train headed to the Crimean peninsula to catch fire. As a result, parts of the roadway collapsed.
In addition to the driver of the truck, the other two fatalities had been driving in a car besides the vehicle when it exploded. The identities of the man and the woman still need to be clarified, according to the committee.
According to preliminary findings, the truck was headed from the Russian mainland to the coastal town of Kerch on the peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an official investigation into the cause of the fire. — dpa
