Siberia's largest oil refinery on fire second time this month; fatalities reported
At night [on 14-15 December], an explosion occurred in the Russian city of Angarsk, Irkutsk Oblast, and a major fire broke out at an oil refinery, killing 2 people and injuring 5.
Source: Igor Kobzev, governor of the region, on Telegram
Quote from Kobzev: "A major fire at the technological installation of the industrial site of the Angarsk petrochemical company in Angarsk.
Unfortunately, two employees were killed in an explosion and fire on the territory of the ANKHK."
Details: According to the Russian governor, 5 more people were injured, and one person was hospitalized in a moderate condition.
Уночі після вибуху спалахнула велика пожежа на нафтопереробному заводі в місті Ангарськ Іркутської області РФ. Відео з російських пабліків у Telegram pic.twitter.com/urCOz6zNg5
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The fire covered about 2,500 square meters, and more than 100 people and 25 pieces of equipment were involved in extinguishing it.
Later, Kobzev said that the fire was contained.
According to the Ministry of Emergency of the Russian Federation, the preliminary cause of the incident was gas contamination of the technological installation systems.
A criminal investigation was opened into this event and a commission was created to examine the circumstances of the fire.
For reference: Angarsk petrochemical company, which belongs to Russian oil giant Rosneft, is the largest oil production company in Siberia's east. Its output is 10.2 million tonnes of oil a year.
Previously: A little less than three weeks ago, on 27 November, another large-scale fire occurred on the company's premises. The authorities reported no casualties then, but never specified the cause of the fire. A special commission was established to find out why the plant caught on fire.
Background:
- The number of major fires in Russia has grown lately.
- Over the last two weeks, about ten such fires took place: an oil refinery in Siberia, an oil depot in Bryansk Oblast, shopping malls in Moscow and Moscow Oblast, a thermal power plant in Perm, an oil facility at an airfield in Kursk, and the Slava plant in Bryansk Oblast caught fire.
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