At least 14 killed, 50 injured in Russia underground train blasts; all metro stations closed in St Petersburg

SAINT PETERSBURG – At least 14 people were killed while dozens of others were injured after two explosions on a metro train in Russian city of St Petersburg, anti-terrorism committee confirmed on Monday.

Over 50 people were injured, the RIA news agency reports, while Interfax reported there appear to have been two explosions.

An unidentified explosive device went off at 2:20pm on a train leaving the Technology Institute station and heading to the Sennaya Ploshchad station, Russia's National Anti-Terrorist Committee said.

Russian security agencies found and defused a second explosive device at the Ploschad Vosstaniya station, the committee also said.

MORE: Several people reportedly injured following blast in #SaintPetersburg metro https://t.co/8Z0ONCDCRI pic.twitter.com/zhxZ4mxJSB

— RT (@RT_com) April 3, 2017

The blast came as Russian President Vladimir Putin was visiting the city, his hometown. Extending his condolences to the victim families, the president said investigators are looking into whether the explosion was a terror attack.

At least seven subway stations have been closed following the blast, St. Petersburg Metro said in a statement.

Видео с места события https://t.co/aU20w2HVTw pic.twitter.com/ULDiqD9B5H

— Эхо Москвы (@EchoMskRu) April 3, 2017

Prosecutors in St Petersburg have started an injury into the incident in the metro, according to Russia Today.

The Metro office said it received reports of an explosion inside the car, possibly of an improvised explosive device. Evacuation of people from the affected stations is underway.

 

This is a developing story. More updates to follow