MOSCOW, February 23 (RIA Novosti) – An explosion at a shopping mall in south Siberia's Altai region has killed at least three, a local police spokesman said Sunday.
The blast at the Kalinka mall in central Biisk occurred early Sunday. Three female shop assistants have been identified as the victims. The cause of the blast is under investigation.
The building's heating system uses coal, the spokesman said. Police said earlier the explosion could have been caused by a gas leak.
Investigators have opened a case into negligence leading to the deaths of two or more people, a crime that carries up to five years in prison.
