Truck exploded on Crimean Bridge…Putin orders forming commission to address explosion’s causes, consequences

Russian Investigative Committee: Explosion on Crimean Bridge kills three

A truck explosion on the Crimean Bridge killed three people, the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement on Saturday.

“According to preliminary information, the incident killed three people, presumably the passengers of a car that was driving by the truck that exploded on the bridge. The bodies of a woman and a man were recovered from the water, their identities are being established,” the statement reads.

A truck exploded on the Crimean Bridge on Saturday morning, causing several fuel tanks of a railway train to catch fire. Two spans of the road bridge collapsed but a lane leading from Crimea to the Krasnodar Region reportedly remained intact. Traffic on the road and railway parts of the bridge was suspended. The Russian government formed a commission to look into the incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has handed down instructions to form a government commission following the explosion, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday.

According to Peskov, President Vladimir Putin received reports on the incident from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov and Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev, as well as from the heads of law enforcement agencies.

“The president ordered the prime minister to form a government commission to establish the causes of the incident and quickly address its consequences. The commission will also include the heads of the Krasnodar Region and Crimea, as well as officials from the National Guard, the Federal Security Service and the Interior Ministry,” Peskov added.

Earlier, the Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee said in a statement on Saturday that a truck exploded on the Crimean Bridge, causing seven fuel tanks of a freight train to catch fire.

“A truck coming from the Taman Peninsula exploded on the road part of the Crimean Bridge at 6:07 am today, causing seven fuel tanks of a train headed to the Crimean Peninsula to catch fire. Two spans of the road bridge partially collapsed,” the statement reads.

Source: Tass

Edited by Hamda Mustafa