16 Dead as Explosion Rocks Russian Gunpowder Factory
At least 16 people have been killed in a horrific explosion at a gunpowder factory.
The Russian plant was ripped apart when a fire set off a chain reaction, triggering a huge blast.
Initial reports reaching Vondigest.com says seven had been killed and search teams were looking for nine more.
But officials have now confirmed the bodies of all of the missing workers have now been found.
One person has been taken to hospital with serious injuries, according to the Emergency Situations Ministry.
The explosion occurred at the Elastik factory in Ryazan region, around 160 miles southeast of Moscow.
A huge emergency services operation was launched in response to the deadly blast.
The ministry said 170 first responders and 50 vehicles were involved in dealing with the fire.
According to rescue workers, the workshop affected by the fire was completely destroyed.
More than 170 firefighters and rescue workers were dispatched to the scene to control the fire. Russia’s acting Emergency Situations Minister, Alexander Chuprian, has also visited the scene.
“There is no threat to the population” of the nearby settlements, the ministry said in a statement.
Accidental and deadly explosions or fires are common in Russia, due to the dilapidated infrastructure, or the failure to comply with safety standards.
In December 2020, eleven people died in a fire inside a retirement home in the Urals region.
Earlier that year, eleven and four people died in separate fires in Tomsk and Moscow in migrant accommodation.
The worst fire in recent years occurred in 2018, when 64 people died after flames engulfed a shopping centre, whose alarm systems and emergency exits were inoperable.
