13 January 2009, 19:00
Eyewitness doubts that it was gas explosion in Nazran
Vakha Chapanov, editor-in-chief of the IA "Maximum" and an eyewitness of the today's explosion in Nazran of the building of the Department of Court Marshals of Ingushetia, has expressed doubt that utility gas was the reason of the tragedy.
According to his version, the building is now cordoned off, while the people had come to their work almost an hour before the explosion. "Why nobody could feel the smell of gas during the 45 minutes that elapsed from the start of the working day? Let's see what the inquiry shows," Mr Chapanov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
At 9:45 a.m., when the explosion happened, Chapanov was about one hundred meters away: "I heard a dull clap. Even when you fire a petard, the sound is brighter, more sonorous. And right after the clap, a black club of smoke appeared. In a minute or minute and a half, I was at the place of the explosion; and everything was already destroyed; even the people, who ran to save the victims, could not get to the place. Some minutes later, ambulances and Ministry for Emergencies cars appeared."
According to Vakha Chapanov, all the victims are employees of the Department of the Federal Service of Court Marshals who were inside the house. The employees who did not suffer told him that at the moment of explosion a meeting was on in the part of the building, which later collapsed, and practically all the employees were there.
We remind you that today in the morning an explosion has destroyed the building of the Department of Court Marshals in Ingushetia. The investigation announced a utility gas explosion as the main version.
Ruslan Kaloev, acting head of the Ministry for Emergencies of Ingushetia, told the RIA "Novosti" that according to the latest data 8 persons perished and 23 more wounded in the incident. At present, 17 persons are in hospitals with traumas and wounds of various gravity; six more were rendered first medical aid and went home.
Author: Vyacheslav Feraposhkin Source: CK correspondent
