16 killed in blast at gunpowder plant in Russia

Failure to observe proper technical process reportedly caused the blast

Firefighters work to put out a fire at a gunpowder and chemicals plant in Ryazan Region on 22 October (Russia’s Emergencies Ministry/Handout via Reuters)

Sixteen people have been killed in an explosion and fire at a gunpowder and chemicals plant in western Russia’s Ryazan province on Friday.

The disaster killed nearly an entire shift of 17 workers who were at the site, according to a list of names on social media, reported Reuters. One person has been hospitalised with serious injuries, said local officials.

Russia’s emergencies ministry said the blast occurred at the Elastik factory, about 270 kilometres southeast of Moscow.

A video uploaded on social media showed a huge, yellow fireball rising in the air from the site.

At least 170 emergency workers and 50 vehicles are dealing with the fire.

A failure to observe proper technical process caused the accident, according to a source cited by Russian news agency TASS.

Photos showed firefighters standing next to a brick building that appeared to have been partly demolished by the blast.