Explosion, fire at Russia’s big defense plant


A massive explosion which occurred in Russia’s Dzerzhinsk on the Oka caused a fire; there are dead and wounded persons. Firefighters are working at the scene.

At least three people were killed, three workers were hospitalized, and another three are missing. Some ammonal explosive must have gone off in one of the plant’s workshops.

“A technological process disruption is believed to have caused the explosion, a fire broke out after the blast, engulfing an area of 100 square meters,” a regional law enforcement source told TASS.

Dzerzhinsk, with its explosives and chemical weapons factories, is one of the most contaminated cities in the world. The concentration of hydrogen cyanide, dioxins, phosgene and sarin in groundwaters is 17 mln times the acceptable standards. Nevertheless, the city still takes drinking water there. The mortality rate is almost three times higher than the birth rate. The average life expectancy is 42 years for men and 47 – for women.

The Sverdlov plant is the biggest producer of industrial explosives, detonators and booster leads for the mining industry in Russia.

sk, pj/belsat.eu

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