This is the shocking moment a father and his children ran for their lives as a neighbouring building exploded above them, showering the street with debris and smoke.

CCTV footage shows the dad playing with his eldest child, tossing a ball back and forth in front of an apartment block in Saratov, Russia, on July 25.

A sudden explosion, suspected to have been caused by a gas leak, erupts from the top of a nearby building, leading to a partial collapse onto the street below.

The parent can be seen grabbing his other child, who had been sitting on a nearby bench, before sprinting to safety.

A passerby walking close to the scene also runs for cover as debris rains down.

Car alarms blare in the background as thick white smoke fills the street, obscuring visibility as the video clip cuts off.

Local media reported that three people died in the blast when the upper floors of the 10-storey residential building collapsed.

Miraculously, the father and his two children escaped without injury.

Reports also noted that the building had changed management three times within the past year, with none of the operators reportedly conducting gas safety checks.

An investigation is ongoing.