Thermal power plant on fire in Russia’s Novocherkassk

Power block 6 at the Novocherkassk thermal power plant in Russia’s Rostov region is on fire, local Emergency Ministry reports.

A total of 46 rescuers and 15 units of equipment are involved in extinguishing the fire. Preliminary data mentions no injured individuals.

The plant’s management company has told Kommersant that the open fire was put out as of 14:50 local time.

“The plant has been temporarily put out of operation. The reasons behind the fire are to be found out,” the company said in a statement.

A local media outlet says, quoting a security agency source, that the fire was caused by an explosion of unspecified nature, and that three people were injured. No critical damage was inflicted to the power plant, the source says.

Vasily Golubev, the local governor, has not confirmed the explosion reports. “Specialists say that a possible reason was a combustion of gas during technological works at the station.

Three members of personnel were injured and admitted to hospital.

The plant’s operation has been suspended; temporary restrictions on power supply have been introduced in the Rostov region,” Golubev said, adding that there was fire in the machinery room of the plant.

The Emergency Ministry has stated that a total of 150 people were evacuated, and there was no threat of the fire spreading to a wider area.

The Novocherkassk thermal power plant is the core producer of power in the Rostov region and is located 53 km away from Rostov-on-Don.