7 Killed, 8 Hurt in Ardebil Explosives Blast

A blast of explosive material at a residential unit in Ardebil city in the northwest Ardebil Province, claimed the lives of seven people and injured eight others on Friday night, ahead of the traditional ritual of ‘Chaharshanbe Suri’ or Red Wednesday. Five of the victims were teenage boys aged 11-13, and the other two were adults, a man aged 38 and a woman aged 40. The blast at Arazali neighborhood in the city led to the partial collapse of the residential unit and also caused damage to the adjacent buildings, breaking window glass panes and knocking down parts of outer walls. A vehicle was buried under the debris. The accident happened at 21:11 local time when stocks of homemade firecrackers and illegal explosives blew up, Mizanonline reported. The police and emergency services arrived at the scene immediately. Five of the injured were treated on the spot, and three were hospitalized. Large stocks of dangerous materials such as lead tetroxide, a very sensitive, explosive and poisonous material used to make handmade explosives, had been stored at the house. Police investigation is on.