A Chinese contractor was killed and more than 100 other workers were injured after a fire broke out at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC) in Russia’s Far East, the company said Tuesday.
Located near the Amur region town of Svobodny, AGCC is a $10 billion joint venture between Russian petrochemical giant Sibur and China’s state-owned oil and gas company Sinopec. Designed to become one of the world's largest polymer manufacturing facilities, the complex was undergoing final testing ahead of its planned launch in early 2027.
In a statement, AGCC said the fire broke out in a support section of a pyrolysis unit. The company said primary equipment was not damaged.
Nineteen workers were hospitalized with moderate to severe injuries. Another 104 workers received treatment for minor cuts and bruises.
“Despite prompt medical care, one victim, a Chinese national employed by a contractor, could not be saved,” the company said on its website.
AGCC said firefighting efforts were continuing and emergency services were conducting “controlled burning” of residual gases.
Consumer protection authorities said local air quality monitoring detected no toxic chemical spikes in Svobodny. The Amur region’s government said the incident posed no threat to people living in nearby towns.
A commission has been formed to investigate the cause of the fire, AGCC said.
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