Fire at Russian chemical gas complex causes three deaths and 150 injuries

The plant's press office reported that three people died and?150 were injured after a fire broke out at a complex of gas chemicals under construction in Russia’s Far East on Tuesday. Two Chinese and one Russian were among the dead, while 24 of the injured were hospitalized.

The complex, which is one of the largest polyethylene and polypropylene producers in the world, was a joint project between Sinopec, a Chinese oil and gas firm, and Sibur, based in Russia. The production has not yet begun.

For the construction of large infrastructure and industrial projects, Russia often relies on workers from China.

The facility stated that work is continuing to extinguish?the blaze?and?specialists are performing a controlled burning of the remaining industrial?gases. The Investigative Committee of Russia said that it was investigating the incident for a possible breach of industrial safety regulations.

(source: Reuters)