Massive explosion in Azerbaijan's capital causes casualties

An explosion struck a nightclub in the capital of Azerbaijan and set off a fire, killing one person and injuring 31, officials have said.

The explosion at the LocationBaku club was believed to have been caused by a gas leak but the investigation was ongoing, Interior Ministry spokesman Ehsan Zahidov said on early Sunday.

The prosecutor general's office reported one death and said 31 people suffered various injuries. Health Ministry spokesman Parviz Abubekirov told the AP news agency that 24 people had been hospitalised, most of them with burns.

The emergency services issued a statement saying firefighters were called to the club in central Baku at 3 am and extinguished the fire before it could spread.

Video posted on social media showed dozens of people in a panic, some of them injured, outside the club, which appeared to have been heavily damaged by the explosion.

Gas explosion

Azerbaijan's security officers say the situation is under control, according to a TRT Haber reporter at the scene.

Authorities are forcing civilians back from the area against a possible second explosion or any unexpected situation, witnesses say.

The fire has been extinguished and no civilians are in the building, a TRT correspondent said as Azerbaijani firefighters have cleared the building.

A statement from Azerigaz said the incident occurred due to a tube explosion.

Apartments in the building where the venue is located and vehicles near the scene were decimated by the explosion.