A Russian military plane crashed on Monday in a residential area in a Russian city on the Sea of Azov after experiencing engine failure, killing at least 13 people. Three of them died when they jumped from the upper floors of a nine-story residential building to escape a massive fire.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said a Su-34 bomber crashed in the coastal city of Yeysk after one of its engines caught fire during takeoff on a training mission.

It added that both crew members were safely rescued, but the plane crashed in a residential area, causing a fire with tons of fuel exploding upon impact.

After hours of searching through the smoldering rubble of the building, authorities said 13 residents, including three children, were found dead. Nineteen others were hospitalized with injuries.

Deputy Regional Governor Anna Minkova said three of the four victims died when they jumped from the upper floors of the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.

Authorities have reserved emergency rooms at local hospitals and medical planes rushed in. More than 500 residents were evacuated and temporary accommodations were provided.

The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed of the incident and sent the health and emergency ministers along with the local governor to the site, Yeysk. The city, with a population of 90,000, is home to a large Russian airbase.

The plane exploded in a massive fireball as a result of the explosion of the warplane’s weapons, apparently. The Su-34 is a twin-engine supersonic bomber equipped with advanced sensors and weapons and has been a key element in Russian air strikes.

The plane saw extensive use during the war in Syria and the fighting in Ukraine.

Monday's incident was the tenth non-combat crash reported of a Russian military plane since Moscow sent its forces to Ukraine on February 24.

Military experts pointed out that with the sharp increase in the number of Russian military flights during the fighting, crashes have also increased.                            Edited by: Yusra Bamtarf