Explosion at Russian gunpowder plant leaves 5 dead, more than 100 injured
An explosion on Aug. 15 destroyed a workshop at the Elastik gunpowder plant in Ryazan Oblast in Russia, killing at least five people and injuring at least 100, regional governor Pavel Malkov said on Aug. 15.
The blast occurred during the day and was followed by a fire that completely destroyed the gunpowder-producing facility.
"An emergency response headquarters has been set up, and all departments and emergency services are working," Malkov wrote on Telegram.
Russian officials have not named the cause of the explosion, but preliminary accounts reported by Russian media point to possible safety violations in the workshop.
Local Telegram channels reported that 10 of the 20 injured victims are in serious condition, while some people may still be trapped under debris.
The plant suffered a similar accident in October 2021, when an explosion at a workshop operated by private explosives manufacturer Razryad killed 17 people.
According to the independent Russian Telegram channel Astra, Razryad rents space from Elastik and produces industrial explosives, including from recycled munitions.
