Russia: 16 deaths in the fire at an explosives factory on 22/10/21.

Fire at the Elastik Site

The fire broke out 200 km south of Moscow, on the premises of Elastik company, one of the many subsidiaries of the state conglomerate ROSTEC. 170 firefighters intervened to contain the fire.

This company went bankrupt in 2015, and the site is used by other companies in the explosives sector.

The fire could have been caused by a "violation of technological processes" and "safety standards", according to authorities.

The Russian Investigative Committee, responsible for major criminal cases in the country, has announced the opening of an investigation for "violation of safety rules on a dangerous site causing death by negligence."

Recurrent accidents at old Russian industrial sites:

Accidents in factories are unfortunately frequent in Russia, notably due to the obsolescence of facilities, some of which date back to the Soviet era.

In Saint Petersburg, it was a historic factory, the Nevski manufacture, that was destroyed by fire in April 2021. The dilapidated and partially abandoned building housed industrial workshops as well as offices.

In October 2020, a brush fire caused a fire and powerful explosions at an ammunition depot, again in the Ryazan region, leading to the evacuation of about 2000 people from nearby villages.

For any questions about the transport or storage of explosives: Contact us

CHAVANON Conseil is a Security Expert for the Transport of Explosive Materials, and we support companies in the event sector (fireworks) as well as industrialists (manufacturers, mines, and quarries) in managing their human, technical, and environmental risks.