Death toll reaches seven from fire at Amur Gas Chemical Complex, fire extinguished - company
BLAGOVESHCHENSK. Aug 26 (Interfax) - The fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC) has been extinguished, and specialists are completing the burnout of residual gases, the company's press service said.
The sources of the fire at the construction site have been extinguished, and an investigation has begun at the scene.
According to the latest data, seven people have died, 36 have been hospitalized, and the fate of nine remains unknown. A total of 152 people have sought medical attention, 116 of whom received medical care and did not require hospitalization.
"During search and rescue operations, the bodies of four Chinese citizens, contractor employees, were found. Therefore, the deaths of seven people have been confirmed, including one Russian citizen and six Chinese citizens. The fate of nine additional Chinese citizens, contractor employees, remains unknown," the press service said.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing. The victims and their families are receiving counselling.
Specialists from the Amur Region Office of Russia's Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) and the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology are conducting laboratory monitoring of the air at the edge of the residential area of Svobodny. No excess of maximum permissible concentrations of controlled substances has been detected.
As reported, preliminary information indicates that the fire occurred on August 25 at the AGCC in an auxiliary process section of the pyrolysis unit, and the complex's primary equipment was not damaged.
A criminal case has been opened for violating industrial safety requirements at hazardous industrial facilities.
The construction of the Amur Gas Chemical Complex is a joint project between SIBUR (60%) and China's Sinopec (40%). AGCC is one of the world's largest polyethylene and polypropylene producers. Construction was originally scheduled for completion in 2024. However, the deadline was later postponed to 2026, as it was necessary to reconfigure the complex's hardware and replace certain licensors and equipment suppliers.
