An explosion at a restaurant in central Moscow killed three people and injured at least 17 others, Russian interior ministry officials confirmed.
The blast occurred at the Balzi Rossi restaurant, located on the ground floor of a Stalinist high-rise on Kudrinskaya Square. Authorities said a faulty gas cylinder caused the explosion, which ignited a gas-air mixture and started a fire that was classified at the third level of complexity before being quickly extinguished. Dozens of ambulances were dispatched to the scene.
The restaurant later said the explosion did not occur inside its premises and that its kitchen and dining room were in excellent condition.
At the time of the blast, a private wedding celebration for 50 guests was taking place at Balzi Rossi, according to a source cited by the Telegram channel 112. The restaurant had been scheduled to reopen to the public at noon on Sunday, August 2.
Traffic was temporarily restricted on several streets near Sadovoye Ring, including exits onto Barrikadnaya Street and Kudrinskiy Lane. Moscow’s transport authority said the Krasnopresnenskaya and Barrikadnaya metro stations continued to operate normally. The Moscow Night Cycling Festival, which had been planned for Sadovoye Ring, was cancelled and rescheduled to another date.
