Fire at Russia's Amur Gas Chemical Complex Kills Chinese Worker, Injures Over 100
A fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex in Russia's Far East killed a Chinese contractor and injured more than 100 workers. The company said core equipment was undamaged and nearby residents face no danger.
A fire broke out on Tuesday at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC) near the town of Svobodny in Russia's Far East, killing a Chinese contract worker and injuring more than 100 others, the company reported.
AGCC is a roughly $10 billion joint venture between Russian petrochemical giant Sibur and China's state-owned Sinopec. The facility, intended to become one of the world's largest polymer production plants, was in final testing stages ahead of a planned launch in early 2027.
According to the company, the fire started in a support section of a pyrolysis unit, while the plant's primary equipment remained undamaged. Nineteen workers were hospitalized with moderate to severe injuries, and another 104 were treated for minor cuts and bruises.
Fatality and response
Despite receiving prompt medical attention, one victim — a Chinese national employed by a contractor — did not survive, the company said. Firefighting operations continued following the incident, with emergency crews carrying out controlled burning of residual gases at the site.
Consumer protection authorities said air quality monitoring in Svobodny detected no spikes in toxic substances. The Amur region's government also stated that the fire poses no threat to residents of surrounding towns. A commission has been established to determine the cause of the blaze.
