Official: 13 dead in Ukraine apartment gas blast

An explosion tore through an apartment building in southern Ukraine, killing at least 13 people and leaving up to 24 trapped under the rubble, an
emergency official said Thursday.
The blast was caused by a suspected gas leak, leveled part
of the five-floor building in the Crimea peninsula resort
of Yevpatoriya and destroyed 35 apartments, said Emergency
Situations Ministry spokesman Ihor Krol. Children were
among the dead, he was quoted as saying by Associated Press.
Russian television reported that those trapped under the
rubble made calls to relatives on their cellphones pleading
for a quick rescue after the blast on Wednesday evening.