YEKATERINBURG, July 7. /TASS/. Three people were killed and five injured when a tanker truck exploded in the Sverdlovsk Region in the Urals, the chief spokesperson for the regional interior ministry department, Valery Gorelykh, told TASS on Sunday.

"According to preliminary information, the driver of the Ural fuel truck, loaded with about 4.5 tonnes of fuel, headed to the town of Kytlym to refuel heavy equipment for rock excavation. The driver permitted about seven tourists to climb on top of the tank," he said.

"The driver lost control of the vehicle, which swerved off the road and into a ditch. Upon impact, the truck caught fire and exploded. According to preliminary data, three people died and at least five more people received injuries and burns of varying degrees and were taken to a local hospital, where they are receiving medical assistance," Gorelykh went on, adding that the driver was among the survivors.

The regional emergencies service said the fire spread to the area of 10 square meters and was put out by firefighting crews.

The incident poses no threat to the local population or environment, rescuers said.