Noginsk, Russia, June 15, SPA -- Two explosions ripped through apetroleum storage depot outside Moscow early Wednesday,killing two workers, injuring another and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people from nearby homes and a hospital, emergency officials said. Preliminary investigations indicated that a technicalproblem sparked the explosions at the depot in the town ofNoginsk, about 60 kilometers (35 miles) east of Moscow,said Sergei Vlasov, a spokesman for the EmergencySituations Ministry. The blasts ripped through a chemical laboratory at thedepot at around 5:50 a.m. (0150 GMT), he said. Two tanks ofpetroleum products inside the lab then caught fire and theblaze spread to four nearby cargo rail cars that containedoil products. Two laboratory workers were killed and one was in criticalcondition, Vlasov said. Russian television broadcast footage showing firefightersspraying foam over a wide area of industrial equipment andthick black smoke rising from burning rail cars. Moscow regional prosecutor Ivan Sydorchuk said that thecriminal investigation was focusing on safety violationsand negligence. The fire had been contained by 9:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) butnot before it had spread partially to a nearby maternityhospital, where nearly 200 patients and workers had to beevacuated, he said. More than 800 people from nearby apartments and a schoolwere also evacuated, he said. Emergency workers dispatched a helicopter and a speciallyoutfitted firefighting train to the scene, according to a report of The Associated Press.--SPA1051 Local Time 0751 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/269994