7 Killed In Explosion At Amur Gas Complex Linked To Major Russia-China Energy Project

Seven people were killed after a major fire and explosion struck the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC) in Russia's far eastern Amur region on Tuesday, with six of the victims identified as Chinese nationals. The plant was undergoing pre-commissioning work ahead of its scheduled opening when the incident occurred. Nine people remain missing, while 152 others were treated for injuries, including 36 who were taken to hospitals.

Footage from the site showed a large industrial facility engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising above the complex. Several sections of the plant appeared to have caught fire following the explosion. Emergency teams were deployed to the site as authorities worked to contain the blaze, search for missing workers and assess the extent of the damage.

The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is a joint project between Russian petrochemical company Sibur and China's state-owned oil and gas giant Sinopec. Located near the town of Svobodny, the approximately $10 billion facility is designed to become one of the world's largest plants producing polyethene and polypropylene. Around 30,000 workers were involved in construction activities at the peak of the project, according to project information.

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The complex is designed to process raw materials supplied by the nearby Amur Gas Processing Plant. It is expected to receive up to 2 million tonnes of ethane and about 1.5 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas annually for conversion into plastic-making materials. Once fully operational, AGCC is projected to produce around 2.3 million tonnes of polyethene and 400,000 tonnes of polypropylene each year.

The facility covers around 325 hectares and is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs once operational. The project has been under development for several years, with engineer training beginning in 2016 and the complex entering its commissioning stage in 2024. The explosion occurred as the facility was moving towards full operations, raising concerns over industrial safety during the commissioning process.

Russia's Investigative Committee has opened an investigation into the deadly incident. Authorities are examining whether industrial safety regulations were violated and are working to establish the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire. Rescue and recovery operations were continuing as officials searched for the nine people still missing and assessed the condition of those injured.

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