SVOBODNY, Russia — A fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC) in Russia's Far East has killed seven people, according to updated figures released by the plant's press service on Wednesday. Six of the dead were Chinese nationals and one was a Russian woman. Nine more Chinese nationals, employees of a contracting firm, remain unaccounted for, and search operations at the site are continuing.
Casualties and Emergency Response
The plant said 152 people were treated for injuries, with 36 hospitalised. An emergency services aircraft was sent to transfer some of the injured to hospitals elsewhere in Russia.
The blaze broke out on Tuesday, August 25, at the AGCC construction site near the town of Svobodny in the Amur Region. According to the company's preliminary account, the fire started in an auxiliary process area of the pyrolysis unit, and the complex's main production equipment was not damaged. It took nearly a full day to bring the fire under control, and it was fully extinguished by the morning of August 26. Emergency crews subsequently carried out a controlled burn-off of residual process gases at the site.
Investigation and Cause
The official cause of the fire has not yet been established. Russia's Investigative Committee, working with the Amur Region Prosecutor's Office, has opened a criminal case under Article 217 of the Russian Criminal Code, covering violations of industrial safety requirements at hazardous production facilities. Investigators are examining whether safety failures contributed to the deaths and injuries.
Project Background
The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is a joint venture between Russia's Sibur, which holds a 60 percent stake, and China's Sinopec, which holds 40 percent. The project, valued at more than 10 billion dollars, is being built to become one of the world's largest polymer production facilities, with a planned annual output of up to 2.7 million metric tons of polyethylene and polypropylene combined.
At the time of the fire, the complex was still under construction and undergoing commissioning and final testing ahead of a planned start to production. It had not yet entered commercial operation. Russian authorities have said there is no threat to nearby residents and no risk of the fire spreading further. Chinese authorities had not issued a public statement on the incident at the time of reporting.
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Reader questions
Frequently asked questions
How many casualties resulted from the fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex?
Seven people were killed (six Chinese nationals and one Russian), 152 were injured, and nine Chinese workers remain unaccounted for.
What caused the fire at the Russian chemical plant?
While the official cause is still under investigation, preliminary reports indicate the fire started in an auxiliary process area of the pyrolysis unit. Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case to probe potential safety violations.
Who owns the Amur Gas Chemical Complex?
The complex is a $10 billion joint venture between the Russian petrochemical company Sibur, holding a 60% stake, and China's Sinopec, which holds the remaining 40%.
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