Fire at Amur Gas Chemical Complex Kills 7 Workers, Injures Dozens More
The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is a $10 billion joint venture between Russian petrochemical giant Sibur and China’s state-owned oil and gas company Sinopec.
A devastating fire broke out at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC) in Russia's Far East, claiming at least seven lives and injuring dozens of workers, according to the company. The AGCC, a $10 billion joint venture between Russian petrochemical giant Sibur and China's state-owned Sinopec, is set to be one of the world's largest polymer manufacturing facilities.
The fire erupted in a support section of a pyrolysis unit, and primary equipment remained undamaged. Nineteen workers were initially hospitalized with moderate to severe injuries, while 104 others received treatment for minor cuts and bruises. By Wednesday, recovery efforts yielded the bodies of six Chinese workers and one Russian, leaving nine Chinese workers missing.
Local authorities found no evidence of toxic chemical spikes in air quality, and the region's government deemed the incident not a threat to nearby towns. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. The Moscow Times, a Russian news outlet, has condemned the incident and called out authorities for criminalizing their work and putting journalists at risk, highlighting their commitment to unbiased reporting despite facing repression in Russia.
Written by urgent.news from The Moscow Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
