A devastating fire erupted at the Elastik industrial plant in Russia’s Ryazan region late Friday, leaving at least 11 people dead and 130 others injured, The Associated Press reported Saturday, quoting officials.
According to The Moscow Times, the blaze started in a gunpowder workshop at the facility located approximately 250 kilometers southeast of Moscow, and triggered a powerful explosion. Emergency crews worked overnight, recovering two more bodies from the wreckage, per AP.
Search and Rescue Underway
As of Saturday, 29 of the injured remained hospitalised, with 13 reported in Ryazan and 16 transferred to Moscow medical centers. Three individuals were rescued from under the debris as investigators launched a preliminary probe into the fire’s cause, the report said. Local media reports suggest over 360 rescue specialists and 90 units of heavy equipment were deployed, with canine teams aiding in search operations.
Mourning Declared in Ryazan
Meanwhile, Governor Pavel Malkov issued a regional day of mourning for Monday, directing flags to be flown at half-mast and urging cancellation of entertainment events. “Flags will be lowered across the region. Cultural institutions, television and radio companies and organizations have been asked to cancel entertainment events,” he said via Telegram,, The Moscow Times reported.
Echoes of a Tragic Past
This is the second deadly incident at the Elastik plant in under four years. In October 2021, a blast at a workshop run by explosives maker Razryad had claimed the lives of 17 individuals, per Euro News. The plant, linked to defense conglomerate Rostec, has been at the center of safety concerns even before, with anonymous emergency sources suggesting possible violations in this case too, The Moscow Times report stated.
