Explosion Near Central Moscow Restaurant Terrace Kills 3, Injures 15
An explosion near a summer restaurant terrace in central Moscow on Saturday evening killed three people and injured 15, according to police. The cause was not yet confirmed, though Russian state media suggested a gas canister might have detonated.
Moscow police reported that an explosion occurred at around 8 p.m. on Saturday near a summer terrace on the ground floor of one of Moscow's seven Stalin-era skyscrapers at Kudrinskaya Square. The blast killed three people and left 15 others wounded, with injuries of varying severity, authorities said. Investigators and emergency crews were working at the scene.
Russian state television tentatively suggested the explosion might have been caused by a gas canister, but Reuters said it could not confirm this. State news agency RIA released footage showing heavily armed law enforcement officers at the site, which had been sealed off from the public. The online outlet Baza, which has close ties to law enforcement, reported that the explosion took place at the upscale Italian restaurant Balzi Rossi. According to the restaurant's website, the venue had been closed on Saturday for a private event.
