MOSCOW, September 4 (RIA Novosti) - Negligence rather than terrorism is thought to have caused an explosion in Russia's Chechen republic on the weekend, a spokesman for the national penitentiary service said Monday.
One man was killed and 18 were hurt when a blast went off on the premises of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Chechen village of Khankala, near the capital Grozny, Sunday morning, spokesman Alexander Sidorov said.
"One serviceman, Oleg Sotrutdinov, 39, temporarily delegated from Nizhny Novgorod, was killed, and 18 officers sustained various injuries," he said.
He also said six of the wounded officers would be discharged from hospital Monday and the lives of the others were out of danger.
"The explosive contained 1.5 kg [3.3lb] of TNT equivalent," a law-enforcement officer said earlier over the phone.
