Explosion destroys 40 Moscow apartments

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- An explosion destroyed part of an apartment building in northeast Moscow late Tuesday, injuring at least four people, the Russian Emergency Ministry said.

The blast, which appeared to be centered on the third floor of the five-story brick building, happened at 11:10 p.m. (3:10 p.m. EDT). Officials at the scene said it destroyed 40 apartments.

Eight people managed to crawl out of the rubble. Rescuers used dogs to search for anyone who might still be trapped, and kept the scene quiet so as to hear any cries for help.

Sources said the cause was a gas explosion. Natural gas could be smelled around the scene.

The same cause was often cited in 1999 when a spate of bombings shook Moscow and two other Russian cities. The blasts were later blamed on Chechen rebels, propelling Russia into a second war in Chechnya in five years.

Police, special forces and army troops were assisting at the explosion site.

-- CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty contributed to this report.