AN explosion and fire hit a major gas pipeline in northwest Russia early today. “It is an explosion on a trunk gas pipeline under high pressure,” said Valentin Sedorin, a spokesman for the Leningrad region around Russia’s second city of St Petersburg. It was not clear if the pipeline carries gas for export, though the main export routes taking Russian gas to Europe pass well to the south of the blast site.

There was no word on casualties but witnesses spoke of a massive explosion that shook buildings 5km away. Officials did not say what caused the blast.

Source: NAU