A fire broke out at an oil refinery in northwestern Russia on Sunday, killing and injuring people, local officials said.
The regional governor said the fire was not caused by a Ukrainian drone strike and that investigators have opened a criminal case on suspicion of negligence.
At least three people were injured in the fire near the town of Ukhta in Russia’s northwestern Komi republic, the Komi Emergency Situations Ministry said. Regional investigators said the fire also caused deaths, but did not specify how many. They could not say whether the fire has already been extinguished.
“Today, during planned engineering work by a contractor, a fire occurred at an oil refinery in the city of Ukhta, resulting in deaths and injuries,” the investigation department wrote on Telegram.
Investigators have opened a criminal case into possible negligence at the oil refinery.
Regional Governor Vladimir Uyba said the fire was not related to a drone strike. In recent months, Russian refineries and oil terminals have become priority targets of Ukrainian drone strikes, part of intensifying attacks on Russian territory.
Local officials did not specify which company owns the refinery, but images published by the local Emergency Situations Ministry show the logo of oil giant Lukoil.
