Cigarette stub 'thrown onto oil leak' ignited spectacular mile-long ‘river of fire’ destroying up to 10 homes

A carelessly discarded cigarette destroyed up to 10 homes in Russia after it landed on an oil leak and set them on fire .



Apocalyptic flames engulfed the village of Krasnoarmeyskoe, near the city of Saratov in south-western Russia's Saratov Oblast region, as a huge fire broke out.



The houses were set alight during the incident and residents ran for their lives as the blaze raged through the central street of the village.



One woman, who declined to be named, said: "I ran away with my children, it was completely dark, everything covered in smoke.