Festive tree erupts in flames as several thousand mark New Year celebration

The main Christmas tree on Russia’s largest island, Sakhalin, exploded in flames in a spectacular, but unintended, light show. 

A metal frame was all that was left when the tree burst into fire on Lenin Square in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Firefighters were called but the tree, made of plastic, had almost  burned out before they arrived. 

A concert continued despite the inferno which sent a column of smoke high in the air.

Warnings were issued to concert goers.

The 25 metre tall tree in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk burns to ashes in minutes as fireworks usher in 2018 across Russia.

A video and pictures of the burning tree went viral on Russian web, with jokes about hot party in the country’s Far East.

Sakhalin is an island on Russia’s Pacific coast, some eight time zones east of Moscow. 

Midnight fireworks went ahead in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk as they did in cities across Russia.