The Amur Gas Chemical Complex in Far East Russia said Thursday that the death toll from a fire that broke out at the facility earlier this week had risen to 15 people.
The plant had initially said that seven people were killed in the blaze on Tuesday, including six Chinese nationals.
By Thursday, the death toll had risen to 15, among them 14 foreigners, AGCC said in a statement without providing details about their nationalities. The company said 39 workers remain hospitalized, including nine who were airlifted to Moscow.
The complex, which bills itself as one of the world’s largest polyethylene and polypropylene producers, is a $10 billion joint venture between Russian petrochemical giant Sibur and China’s state-owned oil and gas company Sinopec.
When the fire broke out this week, the complex was undergoing final testing ahead of its planned launch in early 2027.
AGCC said construction at the complex would continue, as would preparation for next year’s launch.
The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top investigative body, said it opened a probe into possible safety violations and was working to establish the cause of the fire.
The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is expected to produce 2.3 million metric tons of polyethylene and 400,000 tons of polypropylene per year.
Reuters contributed reporting.
