Massive explosions rock crowded Russian supermarket as fireworks go off

Fireworks in aisle three! Massive explosions rock crowded Russian supermarket as rockets and crackers catch fire – though one customer is determined to finish his weekly shop

• Fireworks ignited in a Russian store, turning it into what looked like a war zone

• Approximately 500 people were in the Lenta supermarket in Tomsk at the time

• Yet one man calmly continued shopping, determined to finish his daily chores

By Chris Matthews and Will Stewart for MailOnline

Published: 15:26 GMT, 25 December 2021 | Updated: 15:26 GMT, 25 December 2021

This is the dramatic moment fireworks exploded in a supermarket crowded with 500 shoppers – although one shopper continued unperturbed.

Sparks flew around the Lenta store in the southern Russian city of Tomsk, causing panic.

Shoppers abandoned their trolleys and ran for cover as the supermarket turned into a war zone, with rockets streaking over the aisles.

Yet one man was determined to finish his shop and strolled towards the mayhem with shopping under one arm and a bag in the other.




An array of fireworks went off in a Lenta supermarket in the southern Russian city of Tomsk




Yet one man calmly continued shopping, determined to finish his daily chores, seemingly unconcerned by the chaos.




He strode into the mayhem as fireworks continued to explode with one arm around his shopping while holding a shopping bag in his other hand.




There was fire and smoke that filled up the Lenta supermarket that had around 500 shoppers inside.




Heroic shoppers grabbed fire extinguishers to try put out the fire caused by the fireworks

The fireworks were on sale for the New Year holiday but the reason they ignited was not clear.

Hero shoppers reacted to grab fire extinguishers to put out the blaze.

‘The staff behaved like stupid sheep and were at a loss what to do, but shoppers rushed to douse the fire,’ said one witness.

Worryingly, it is the second time in three days that fireworks have ignited in Lenta stores in the city.




Thick smoke rose high into the sky as the inferno ripped through the building yesterday.




Pictured: The devastation left behind at the store by the blaze. ‘Hundreds of thousands’ of pounds worth of goods have reportedly been destroyed.




An aerial image shows the scale of the devastation caused by the blaze at the superstore

Another store was almost totally destroyed in an arson attack.

A disgruntled shop worker burnt down the superstore he worked at in Russia after being told off by his boss over a price tag mix up, according to police.

According to reports, Alexander Schnaider, 33, had been changing price tags on items at the superstore he worked at in Tomsk, Russia, when he was reprimanded by his manager.

Fed up with being complained at over his work, Schnaider allegedly doused a box of fireworks in alcohol and ignited it before leaving the store.

Citing a police source, Life Shot reported: ‘His job was to change price labels, but he constantly confused them and put the wrong ones in the wrong place.







Alexander Schnaider, 33, (pictured) has been accused of burning down the superstore he worked at in Russia following a disagreement with his boss.



Pictured: The circled man is alleged to be Schnaider as he walked away from the fireworks, having just set them on fire

‘The manager regularly criticised him and made him redo it. So he was fed up and outraged with her.’

Following the incident on Tuesday, police arrested Schnaider and he has been charged with arson motivated by ‘personal enmity’ against the management, local media reports.

The suspect reportedly confessed to police: ‘There was white spirit on the counter…

‘I started spraying it….(then) set the whole thing on fire.

‘As soon as it went up, I saw a guard run up to try and extinguish it…

‘There was screaming, panic.

‘I just turned around, put on my coat, and went home.’

In today’s fire no injuries were reported and the fire was quickly extinguished.

"Quickly extinguished"? The photos would indicate otherwise!

Fireworks in a supermarket? Talk about one-stop shopping.

I noticed the pre-fire supermarket shelves in Russia are full ....

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Fireworks in a supermarket? Talk about one-stop shopping.

My exact comment! (What could possibly go wrong?)

flashguy

Dude forgot his Antifa hoodie, and BLM mask.

Gives a whole new meaning to the words "fire sale" doesn't it?

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Fireworks in a supermarket? Talk about one-stop shopping.

My exact comment! (What could possibly go wrong?)

flashguy

I can buy Fireworks in Supermarkets and Costco, but Not Wine.

^^^^^ Well, you can't do it here, and I wouldn't shop where one can--too many idiots out there.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
"Quickly extinguished"? The photos would indicate otherwise!

Two separate incidents.

One arson incident resulted in a massive fire and the building burning down.

The second incident at a different store was quickly extinguished.

As the article mentions, this was the "second time in three days that fireworks have ignited in Lenta stores". It shows photos of the aftermath of the big fire from "yesterday", but then "in today's fire" it was put out quickly.