Officials said that a warehouse explosion occurred outside the Russian capital on Wednesday, causing injuries to dozens of people and creating a large plume of smoke that could be seen for miles.
Local officials stated that the blast originated from a warehouse storing fireworks at the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant in Sergiyev Posad, a town less than 50 miles away from Moscow.
The explosion shattered windows in nearby schools, a sports complex, and approximately 20 apartment buildings, as reported by the local government administration on social media.
The incident raised concerns in Ukraine due to the plant’s involvement in developing and manufacturing optical and optoelectronic devices for law enforcement agencies, industry, and healthcare. The plant is known for producing night vision devices and binoculars for the Russian military as part of Rostec, the country’s defense conglomerate.
According to Andrey Vorobyev, the governor of the Moscow region, the warehouse space was rented by Piroross, a private company specializing in pyrotechnics. Public records indicate that the company filed for bankruptcy last year. Vorobyev also mentioned that the plant had not been manufacturing optical devices for a significant period of time.
There is currently no evidence of foul play, and local authorities have stated that the explosion is unrelated to reports of drones flying near Moscow overnight.
Russia’s Federal Investigative Committee announced on the messaging app Telegram that it is investigating a potential violation of industrial safety requirements.
Dmitry Akulov, the district’s head, wrote on Telegram that they are investigating the causes of the blast. He also mentioned that at least 45 people have been injured, some of them seriously. As a precautionary measure, all buildings and workshops at the plant have been evacuated.
According to Mr. Vorobyev, there may be five more individuals trapped under the debris.
2023-08-09 08:44:53
Article from www.nytimes.com
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