A powerful explosion has rocked a factory in the town of Sergiyev Posad outside of Moscow, with evacuation efforts underway, local authorities have said.
The incident took place on the territory of the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant, which according to its website, designs and produces optical and electronic equipment.
Prosecutors have confirmed preliminary data suggesting that the explosion occurred in a pyrotechnics warehouse.
Andrey Vorobyev, Moscow Region’s governor, said citing emergency services that 31 people were injured in the blast. Later, he noted that 43 people had been taken to a local hospital, with six of them, who suffered burns and head injuries, being treated in intensive care.
He stated that a total of 52 people sought medical assistance after the blast, adding that five people may still be trapped under the rubble. Later, the local administration confirmed that a female factory employee succumbed to her injuries in a local hospital.
Mass evacuation efforts have been announced from all facilities on factory premises.
Numerous clips shared by local media show a large plume of smoke rising from the factory, towering over nearby buildings.
A source in the emergency services told RIA Novosti that the explosion took place due to a violation of technical procedures.
Meanwhile, the Mash Telegram channel shared footage from a nearby security camera that captured the moment of the explosion, showing a fireball and a plume of smoke rising in the distance. It claimed, citing eyewitnesses, that the blast shattered windows in at least ten nearby buildings, with ceilings collapsing in offices close by.
The BAZA Telegram channel said that the emergency services had arrived on the scene and that traffic near the factory had been closed.