Investigators in Russia opened a criminal case after a fire at a Rostov-on-Don gas station destroyed 21 cars and a building, the regional management of the Investigative Committee of Russia told Lenta.ru.
The Investigative Committee said the case involves charges of providing unsafe services during fuel sales.
According to investigators, a gas station employee on Korolev Avenue allowed a customer to fill fuel into 1,000-liter plastic canisters during the night of August 5. The containers were not designed to store or transport fuel, which caused the fire to start.
A 44-year-old resident of the Zaporozhye region, whom authorities identified as the person responsible for the fire, said he bought the gasoline to resell it in Melitopol. He said the tanks caught fire inside his van while he was driving.
Vehicle driven into residential area
The driver moved the burning vehicle into the courtyard of a residential building, where the flames spread to parked vehicles. The fire destroyed 21 cars, a building in the Northern residential area, and the gas station itself, but no people were injured.
The man fled the scene after the fire broke out, but authorities later detained him.
Investigators inspected the incident location and released operational video showing agency personnel alongside burned structures. Officers are interviewing witnesses and have ordered forensic examinations in the case.
