Far East Gas Plant Fire Kills 15 Workers

A fire at a major gas and chemical facility under construction in Russia's Far East has resulted in the deaths of 15 workers, according to plant management. The incident occurred on Tuesday at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex, located in the Amur region near the Chinese border, roughly 5,500 kilometers east of Moscow.

Video footage shared on social media showed large groups of workers evacuating the site as the fire broke out. The company confirmed that all those who died were employees, identifying one Russian citizen and 14 foreign nationals among the victims. Earlier reports from the company had confirmed the recovery of the bodies of one Russian and six Chinese citizens.

The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is a joint venture between Russia's Sibur and China's state-owned Sinopec. The facility, which is still under construction and slated to begin operations in early 2027, is designed to be one of the world's largest producers of polyethylene and polypropylene, with a combined annual capacity of 2.7 million tonnes.

Russia's Investigative Committee has launched an inquiry into the cause of the fire and is examining potential violations of safety regulations. No indications of sabotage or foul play have been reported. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire originated in an auxiliary process area, and the main equipment was not damaged.

Sibur referred inquiries to the complex's management, which stated that emergency recovery operations are underway in coordination with Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations. Construction and installation work in unaffected areas will continue, and air quality is being continuously monitored, with no harmful emissions currently exceeding permissible levels.

The Chinese consulate has dispatched a team to the site, according to Chinese media reports. Sinopec has not yet issued a public comment on the incident.