At least 14 people were killed in a fire at a fireworks factory in Russia’s Yaroslavl region on Monday, Russian state media reported, citing emergency services. One person was injured in the blaze, according to state news agency TASS, which cited Russia’s emergency ministry.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
“The death toll from a fire at a fireworks factory in the Yaroslavl region has risen to 14, with one person injured,” TASS reported, citing the emergency ministry.
The fire broke out at a pyrotechnics factory in the village of Kubrinsk, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Moscow, according to TASS. The blaze engulfed two buildings at the site.
Around 100 emergency personnel were deployed to contain the fire, Yaroslavl region governor Mikhail Evrayev said.
Video published by state-owned broadcaster RT appeared to show bright sparks shooting from a smouldering pile of rubble following the blaze.
The cause of the fire was not immediately established. Russian authorities have opened a criminal case over alleged violations of industrial safety regulations, state media reported.
The region’s prosecution service said it had also opened an investigation into possible violations of industrial safety rules. However, officials had not yet publicly established whether safety violations caused Monday’s fire.
Emergency services continued operations at the site as authorities assessed the damage and worked to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injury.
