Moscow, Russia – The death toll from last week’s deadly explosion at a defense-linked factory in Russia’s Ryazan region has climbed to 25, the Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.
Rescuers recovered another body during ongoing operations, while the number of injured rose to 158, officials said. On Monday, the ministry had put the confirmed death toll at 24.
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The powerful blast struck on Friday in the village of Lesnoy, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of Moscow. Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said the explosion originated in a gunpowder workshop at the Elastik plant.
Authorities launched a criminal case over suspected violations of industrial safety rules, the Investigative Committee’s regional branch told RIA Novosti. However, officials have not disclosed the precise cause of the blast or the factory’s production activities.
Local emergency services earlier reported that as of August 18, 20 people had died, with 134 injured. Thirty-one of the wounded remain hospitalized in Ryazan and Moscow, while more than 100 others are being treated as outpatients.
The disaster ranks among Russia’s deadliest industrial accidents in recent years and has raised fresh concerns about safety standards at defense-related facilities.
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