Kazakhstan Pipeline Blasted, Killing People

A ruptured gas pipeline exploded and caught fire in western Kazakhstan, killing three workers and injuring three others. The cause of the rupture is being established.

The incident on the Central Asia-Center pipeline occurred Monday morning, interrupting gas supplies from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to Russia, according to the Emergencies Agency.

Three workers of the Kazstroyservis company who were repairing a parallel gas pipeline at the time of the accident died from severe burns as a result of the explosion and three others were hospitalized with burns, the agency said.

The fire was distinguished on Monday evening and repair work is under way.