Blast hits Moscow University, 1,200 evacuated

Moscow, Jan 26 (UNI) A powerful explosion today hit a Moscow State University hall of residence, linked to MSU's landmark Stalin-era skyscraper, damaging a wall and smashing windows.

''The blast damaged a 3-square-meter section of an inner wall and smashed windows,'' RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting Yevgeny Bobylov, spokesman for the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry.

Mr Bobylov said about 1,200 residents had been evacuated from the 19-storey sector B of the university's main building on Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills), whose 36-storey central part is 235 meters high.

No fire broke out following the explosion, and the university continued to function as normal, he said, adding no causalties were reported.

Bomb disposal experts from the Russian Interior Ministry were working at the scene to identify the explosive device which went off on a staircase in the residence. The cause of the blast is still being investigated.

Last November, a homemade bomb planted in the corridor of a hall of the University residence went off, injuring one person.

UNI