The death toll from the devastating fire at an industrial plant in Russia’s Ryazan region has reached 24, with at least 157 others injured, according to officials. The blaze broke out on Friday at the Elastik plant in the Shilovsky district, located roughly 155 miles southeast of Moscow. Emergency crews have been combing through the rubble since the incident, searching for survivors and victims.
Gunpowder Workshop Explosion Destroys Facility As Investigators Probe Safety Violations And Negligence
Authorities reported that the fire started in a gunpowder workshop, leading to a massive explosion that destroyed large sections of the facility. Photographs released by the emergency ministry show parts of the building reduced to rubble, underscoring the force of the blast. Rescue operations are still underway, as officials continue to search for missing workers amid the debris.
Investigators have opened a criminal case into violations of industrial safety regulations, signaling that the disaster is unlikely to have been caused by external attacks. Reports from the 112 Telegram channel suggest the explosion may have been triggered by a rogue shell detonation. The factory had previously received multiple warnings from authorities regarding workplace safety and labor practices, raising questions about negligence.
Local Officials Declare Mourning As Ryazan Community Reels From Deadly Industrial Plant Disaster
In response to the tragedy, local officials declared Monday a day of mourning in the Ryazan region. The announcement reflects the scale of the disaster and its impact on the local community, where many families have lost loved ones or seen relatives severely injured. The region has been left shaken by the scale of destruction at one of its major industrial facilities.
This is not the first deadly incident at the Elastik plant. In 2021, another explosion at the facility killed 17 workers, leading to prison sentences for some members of its management. Fatal factory accidents are not uncommon in Russia, where chronic safety violations and mismanagement continue to undermine industrial operations.
While Russia has seen sabotage attacks since the war in Ukraine, this incident highlights persistent internal safety failures rather than external threats.
