WORLD : Gorbachev Lays Blame for Gas Blast
President Mikhail S. Gorbachev today blamed the operators of a gas pipeline for the explosion that sent a wall of fire roaring through two Trans-Siberian passenger trains, killing more than 360 people and injuring 706.
Speaking to a hushed Parliament today after returning from the scene of Sunday morning’s blast, a visibly angry Gorbachev said the leak that caused the explosion and fire was noticed hours before the disaster but nothing was done to stop it.
“There will be no progress in the country if we have such laxness, which leads to tragedies. We will have to learn hard lessons from what happened,” Gorbachev said in a televised address to the session.
The Civil Defense Headquarters said 192 bodies had been recovered and 272 people were missing and presumed dead.
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