Death toll in petrol station blast in Russia's Dagestan region rises to 12

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The death toll in an explosion at a petrol station in Russia's Caspian Sea region of Dagestan has risen to 12, including two children, the emergencies ministry said on Saturday.

The blast, which occurred on Friday outside the regional capital of Makhachkala, also injured 23 people, it said.

Healthcare minister aide Alexei Kuznetsov said that four people remained in hospitals, including one in serious condition, Russian state news agency RIA reported.

Dagenergo, the regional power operator, said on Friday the blast damaged "energy objects" and that power supply was partially disrupted in nearby districts. An emergency regime was declared in the district, local authorities said.

A local branch of the Investigative Committee, which deals with serious crimes in Russia, said it had opened a criminal case and was establishing the circumstances of the incident.

Local authorities declared Sept. 28 a day of mourning in the region.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Ron Popeski, Jonathan Oatis and Mark Heinrich)