THIS is the horrifying moment a huge explosion tears through a cafe and sparks a monster inferno – leaving a 16-year-old girl and six others dead.
Chilling footage showed a suspected gas blast ripping through the diner as a terrifying fireball sent plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky.
The deadly explosion destroyed the Plov Centre cafe in the Akmola region of Kazakhstan.
The diner, which is attached to a five-storey building, was seen on CCTV footage as a raging blaze engulfed it.
In the harrowing clip, two huge fireballs seemingly burst out of both doors of the establishment.
A pedestrian can be seen walking towards the diner just seconds before it blows up – it is unclear whether they were injured or not.
The screen flashes a bright white before huge columns of smoke are seen rising from the flames.
A person appears to emerge out of the inferno, before bravely stepping back inside to drag another passer-by away from the flames.
Scores of bystanders then appear to sprint towards the cafe to get a better view of the blast, before some start to rush in to help others.
One victim can even be seen running out of the building while still on fire.
Separate footage recorded by passers-by showed the aftermath of the jaw-dropping blast as smoke rose from the blazing building.
A gas-air mixture ignited inside the building, sparking the deadly blast and fire, local authorities believe.
Regional officials said 26 people were affected by the horror explosion.
A total of seven people died, including one 16-year-old schoolgirl, while 13 victims were hospitalised with burns of varying severity.
Two of the victims succumbed to their injuries later in hospital, while five were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Akmola Region Health Department said the primary injuries were thermal burns of differing depth and extent, with patients under constant medical supervision.
Firefighters rushed to the scene and arrived within minutes.
They managed to rescue more than 10 people from the blazing structure.
During the operation, emergency crews removed eight gas cylinders from the burning cafe – potentially preventing an even greater catastrophe.
The fire has now been fully extinguished, but debris clearance operations are ongoing.
Senior Kazakhstan officials, emergency services, police and medical teams remain at the scene.
Police confirmed the cafe where the explosion took place was an annex to a residential building on Lomonosova Street in the Burabay District.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the exact cause of the suspected gas ignition and the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
A hotline has been opened for relatives and those seeking information.
The disaster has shocked the small resort town of Shchuchinsk, with locals sharing images of the destroyed building and paying tribute to the victims online.
