Six Dead in Gas Explosion at Russian Engineering Factory

A gas explosion at a factory in Russia on Friday killed six people and injured two more, emergency officials said, according to RIA Novosti.

The explosion occurred in Russia’s central Oryol region, causing an engineering production facility under construction to collapse. It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted the explosion.

All three injured — reported by Russian media to be Turkish nationals — have been hospitalized with burns. Local police have opened a criminal probe.

Тhe explosion occurred about ten in the morning during construction work in the hangar-type building.

“An explosion without subsequent burning, destruction of the roof and metal structures,” a statement from the local fire department said, adding that 38 people and 11 pieces of equipment were needed to put the fire under control. 

According to the updated data of the regional government, the building is being built as part of an investment project for the production of window and door accessories, at the time of the emergency.

As RIA Novosti was informed by the representative of SU SK in the Oryol region, Yulia Dorofeeva, the investigation considers the main version for the explosion to a “cluster of accumulated vapors of paints and varnishes.”