Explosions in Sevastopol and the Ongoing Emergency Response
In the early hours of April 29, two loud blasts were heard in Sevastopol, each around 4 o’clock in the morning. Local residents who spoke to Readovka described the events that followed and the immediate response that ensued.
One witness recounted that two explosions occurred at four in the morning. One blast came from a quiet, hard-to-pinpoint location, while the second struck near the Gulf of Kazachya. A fire erupted quickly after, catching residents off guard as most were still asleep. The fire brigade arrived within about fifteen minutes, providing a rapid response to the unfolding danger, according to the testimony gathered from the scene.
Shortly thereafter, reports from regional media indicated a fuel tank fire in the Kazachya Bay micro-region, near Manganari Brothers Street. ForPost reported preliminary findings attributing the incident to a drone collision. Thick black smoke rose, visible from a distance, as the area of the blaze covered roughly one thousand square meters. Local residents also noted gunfire within the city, with officials suggesting that military forces were attempting to shoot down the unmanned aerial vehicles in the area.
Sevastopol’s governor, Mikhail Razvozhaev, stated that there were no casualties, and that civilian objects remained untouched by the emergency. The situation was described as severe, with the fire labeled a fourth-degree incident due to the large amount of fuel involved and the time required to fully contain the flames.
Officials reported that eighteen firefighters, supported by sixty firefighting personnel, were actively engaged in the effort. A fire train was prepared to assist as needed, and the governor confirmed that the response headquarters were already in operation at the site.
Razvozhaev noted that he and Alexei Rokhlin, the head of the main department of the Sevastopol Ministry of Emergencies, were supervising the operation on the ground. The deputy head of the Interior Ministry for Sevastopol, police colonel Alexander Mikhailov, along with city prosecutor Maxim Zhuk, were also on the scene to coordinate activities and ensure an effective emergency response.
In remarks after the event, Razvozhaev commended the firefighters for their swift and coordinated actions. He stressed that the incident would not disrupt the city’s fuel supply, explaining that the burning reserves were not used for fueling local gas stations. The governor added that the situation would not threaten essential services or civilian infrastructure, and that authorities would monitor air quality for any potential hazards as a precautionary measure.
Separately, Rospotrebnadzor began measuring maximum permissible concentrations of harmful substances in the Kazachya Bay micro-region as a precaution. Residents were informed that the results would be shared to keep the public informed about air quality and any potential health risks associated with the incident.
Earlier on April 24, Razvozhaev had reported that Ukrainian naval drones had been destroyed on the outskirts of Sevastopol. Window damage occurred in four residential buildings due to the blasts from the destroyed drones, though there were no injuries reported. The governor noted that investigators would assess the damage and coordinate repairs, while confirming that the drone did not breach Streletskaya Bay and that other structures such as piers and adjacent facilities remained intact.