Fire kills 16 at Russian explosives factory
Incident likely due to violations of safety measure, officials say
Sixteen people were killed and one person was missing after a deadly fire broke out at a Russian explosives factory southeast of Moscow yesterday, local authorities said.
The blaze took place in the village of Lesnoy, 300km from the Ryazan region’s capita.
Authorities originally said 15 people had died, but later said one man who received severe burns had died in hospital.
“The fate of one more person is unknown,” the local government said on its website, adding that rescuers are “looking for him”.
Seventeen people were believed to have been inside the
plant’s workshop at the time of the fire.
‘Strategic company’
Images released by authorities showed firefighters working their way through the debris at
the severely damaged factory building. The plant is considered a “strategic company” by the Russian government. According to its website, it produces explosives for both the civilian and military sectors.
Russia’s emergencies ministry said the fire could have broken out as a result of “violations of technological processes and safety measures” at the local PGUP Elastic factory.
The blaze is the latest in a string of deadly accidental fires in Russia, where non-compliance with safety standards — that are already lax — is common.
Psychologists visit families
The fire, which covered an area of 160 square metres, had been put out and did not pose a danger to locals. The Ryazan government said it had brought in psychologists to “work with the families of the victims.”
The governor of the Ryazan region, Nikolai Lyubimov, said that authorities would provide “all necessary help and support” to the families.