45 people were injured from the explosion in Sergiev Posad

Baku/09.08.23/Turan: On the morning of August 9, an explosion occurred at the Zagorsky optical and mechanical plant near Moscow in Sergiev Posad. According to the Regional Ministry of Emergency Situations, the emergency response was activated at 10:45 a.m. The explosion destroyed a warehouse with an area of 1,600 square meters, causing a subsequent fire on an area of 50 square meters. Rising columns of thick smoke were visible from different viewing points in Sergiev Posad. After the explosion, all buildings and workshops at the plant were evacuated as officials, emergency response services and investigators arrived at the scene.

The reflected shock wave knocked out the windows of more than 20 apartment buildings, which is a clear indication of the force of the explosion. The main blow fell on about ten residential buildings near the plant, internal partitions were displaced in some rooms, and ceilings collapsed in offices, according to the telegram channel Mash. Damage was caused to the Luch sports complex, Sergiev Posad College and two schools. The Trinity-Sergius Lavra admitted that she felt a shock wave, but reported that the revered place remained unharmed.

According to the latest data, more than 40 people were injured in the explosion. Local authorities have estimated the number of wounded at 45 people, six of whom are currently in intensive care. The Baza telegram channel reported that almost all the victims received shrapnel wounds. The potential presence of people trapped under the rubble remains a concern, authorities said.

Official sources, relying on information from emergency services, explained the explosion as a deviation from prescribed technological procedures and human error, rejecting initial assumptions about the involvement of the drone. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on the fact of violation of industrial safety rules after the incident in Sergiev Posad, the Department for the Moscow Region said in a statement. According to TASS reports, the explosion occurred in a warehouse where pyrotechnic products were stored, while Baza claims that the explosion occurred in a structure associated with pyrotechnic company Pyro-Ross, although not associated with the firm since the 1990s. Sergey Chankaev, the head of Pyro-Ross, disputes the location, claiming that the explosion occurred in the adjacent territory where metal pipes were stored.