ASTRAKHAN, February 28 (Itar-Tass) — One of the Astrakhan house blast victims might be evacuated to Moscow for treatment, head of the regional government Konstantin Markelov said on Tuesday.
Five persons remain in the hospital. "One woman is in serious condition," Markelov said, adding that a decision would be made soon on taking her to Moscow for treatment.
According to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, six people died and another 15 were injured, including two children, in the explosion in an apartment building in Astrakhan on Monday afternoon. The six-section nine-storey building is located in Nikolai Ostrovsky Street. One section fully collapsed.
Markelov said the tenants of the destroyed segment of the house would receive new apartments.
"The tenants of 2nd and 3rd sections will be given new apartments in a new building," he said at a meeting with the tenants of the damaged house.
He noted that if a family lived in a two-room apartment on the first floor, it will get a two-room apartment of the same size on the first floor of the new building.
The new apartment building has been linked to service lines, except gas supply. It will be connected to the gas supply network as soon as people move there.
"The first section will be examined before making a decision on whether or not it is suitable for living," Markelov said.
According to the official, all the persons whose apartments were destroyed, are entitled to one-million-rouble compensations from the regional budget.
Criminal proceedings were opened over "violation of safety rules during mining, construction or other works."
Seven injured persons receive out-patient medical assistance.
The local authorities opened an account for donations for the blast victims.
Police have tightened control over the area, saying they have stopped two cases of looting.