MOSCOW, July 11 (Xinhuanet) -- A gas explosion killed 16 people in the northern Russian city of Ukhta on Monday, the Interfax news agency quoted police as saying.

    The Federal Security Service in the Komi republic, where Ukhta is located, said that the explosion, which occurred at around 2:00p.m. Moscow time (1000 GMT), killed 16 and injured 20.

    Vadim Zhuravlev, a deputy officer at the Komi regional department of the Russian Interior Ministry, said that a fire, which preceded the explosion, had engulfed a store selling naturalgas and the casualties were caused by smoke inhalation. Enditem