An explosion and an ensuing fire at a service station blast kills 12 in Russia’s Dagestan

MOSCOW (AP) — Local officials say two bodies were pulled from the rubble following an explosion at a gas station in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan, bringing the death toll to at least 12. The explosion on Friday triggered a fire that tore through the service station and its cafeteria on the outskirts of the regional capital, Makhachkala, said Russia’s Emergencies Ministry, adding that two children were among the dead. Regional authorities said a criminal investigation into the cause of the explosion has been opened and that Saturday has been declared a day of mourning in Dagestan.