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Gas blast hits apartment building near Moscow, causing partial collapse

Information about casualties is being verified

MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. A gas explosion hit an apartment building in the city of Noginsk east of Moscow, causing a partial collapse, an emergency source told TASS on Wednesday.

"A gas explosion occurred, causing a partial collapse in apartments on the second and third floors of the building," the source said.

Another source said rescuers started to search for survivors under the rubble. "Information about casualties is being verified, there could be people under the rubble," the source said.

Emergencies sources later told TASS four floors partially collapsed as a result of the blast.

According to a spokesperson for the Russian emergencies ministry, five apartments were damaged in the explosion. Three people - two of them children - have been rescued. The search effort continues.

The accident was presumably caused by a gas leak.