2nd LD Writethru: Two killed in gunpowder plant fire in central Russia

A fire at a gunpowder plant in central Russia killed two people and injured three others on Friday, the local authorities said.

The fire took place at the Tambov Gunpowder Plant in the town of Kotovsk, some 15 km from Tambov, the regional capital of Tambov Oblast and harbor of the Tambov base.

A 42-year-old female worker died at the workshop. Five others were taken to local hospitals, and one of them, a 23-year-old apprentice, died later, according to the Tambov regional division of the Russian Investigative Committee.

The fire started at 12:30 Moscow time ( 0930 GMT) at the powder packing workshop of the plant during the production process, and extended to an area of 150 square meters, according to a statement on the website of Tambov Region Administration.

The First Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the Tambov Region has opened a criminal case, said local investigative committee.

Investigators are working at the plant, inspecting the site and questioning the witnesses, in order to establish the cause of the accident.

The Tambov Gunpowder Plant, built in 1915, is one of the largest producers of ammunition and special chemicals in Russia.

On Sept. 30, 2015, a blast at the plant's air-drying workshop killed two people and injured three others.

Breach of security regulations is often blamed for fires and explosions in Russia. Enditem