A fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex in Russia's Far East killed 15 people earlier this week, the plant's management announced Thursday.
Video circulating on social media depicted workers evacuating the facility when the fire began on Tuesday. All of the deceased were employees of the complex, according to a statement from the Amur Gas Chemical Complex. The statement indicated that one Russian citizen and 14 foreign nationals were among the fatalities.
The Amur Gas Chemical Complex, situated in Russia's Amur region near the Chinese border, is a collaborative project between China's state-owned Sinopec and the Russian petrochemical firm Sibur. Russia's Investigative Committee has launched an inquiry into the fire's origin and any potential safety regulation violations, reporting no immediate signs of sabotage or foul play.
Sibur directed inquiries to the Amur Gas Chemical Complex management, which stated that emergency recovery operations were underway in conjunction with Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations. Construction and installation at unaffected areas of the facility are continuing as scheduled, with continuous monitoring of air quality. The company reported that emissions of harmful substances were not exceeding permissible levels.
Sinopec did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Chinese consulate in the region has dispatched a team to the site, according to the Chinese newspaper Global Times.
The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is currently under construction and is anticipated to commence operations in early 2027. The facility is designed to be one of the world's largest producers of polyethylene and polypropylene, with an annual capacity of 2.7 million tons of these polymers.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire originated in an auxiliary process area, and the complex's primary equipment remained undamaged, the company stated.