Moscow explosion: Fire erupts in Russian capital city after 'car explodes'

A car reportedly exploded in a shopping centre on Presnenskaya Embankment in Moscow on Wednesday, April 23. A fire broke out in the Afimall City parking lot in the Russian capital in the early afternoon, local emergency services reported.

Thick plumes of smoke could be seen emerging from the area in footage and pictures shared by Russian news outlets via their Telegram social media channels, as well as flames surrounding a vehicle. Emergency services, including paramedics and firefighters, were scrambled to the area to extinguish what was described by the SHOT news outlet as "a major fire". Russian state news agency TASS, citing the Ministry of Emergency Situations, reported a car being on fire in the parking lot of the shopping centre.

Emergency services reported by the agency claimed that the car fire had been preceded by a blast.

And a report by SHOT claimed as many as three "loud" explosions had occurred, believed to have been caused by fuel cylinders that exploded due to "strong pressure".

There were no immediate reports of casualties, the news outlet added.

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