79 people injured in a blast at explosives factory

In Russia, at least 79 people were injured in a blast at a major explosives plant in the central region.

The blast took place on Saturday at the Kristall explosives factory in Dzerzhinsk, 250 miles (400km) east of Moscow. The cause has not been determined.

38 employees at the plant and 41 local residents sought treatment after the blast. 15 were hospitalised, one in serious condition.

A representative of the local Health Ministry said that all the injured are receiving medical assistance. Representatives of Kristall told that five people working in the plant at the time of the explosion were safely evacuated. According to the sources in the Emergency Ministry, there was a technical explosion in one of the workshops, followed by a fire of around 100 square meters.