Nearly 1,000 people injured as 10-tonne meteor in Russia causes blasts
Moscow, Feb 15: Nearly 1,000 people, including more than 200 children, were injured today in a freak incident when a meteor weighing about 10 tonnes streaked across the sky above Russia's Ural Mountains, creating panic
At least one piece of the fallen object caused damage on the ground in Chelyabinsk. According to local reports, it crashed into a wall near a zinc factory, disrupting the city's Internet and mobile service.
Witnesses said the explosion was so loud that it seemed like an earthquake and thunder had struck at the same time, and that there were huge trails of smoke across the sky. Others reported seeing burning objects fall to earth.
Chelyabinsk resident Sergei Serskov told BBC News the city had felt like a “war zone” for 20 to 30 minutes.
“I was in the office when suddenly I saw a really bright flash in the window in front of me,” he said.
“Then I smelt fumes. I looked out the window and saw a huge line of smoke, like you get from a plane but many times bigger.”