KAZAN, Tatarstan -- An explosion at a hydroelectric power plant in the Russian republic of Tatarstan has killed two and injured 11, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
The May 12 afternoon blast occurred in the Nizhnekamsk plant's machine room and caused a fire, the regional emergency response agency reported.
All of those injured were hospitalized, with one reported to be in critical condition.
The head of the plant's machine room was killed along with a fireman. Officials said welding was being done in the machine room at the time of the explosion.
The Nizhnekamsk hydroelectric power plant is situated on the Kama River, which separates European Russia from the Urals region. The facility, built in 1979, was never completed according to its original design plans.
The explosion is the latest in a string of Russian industrial accidents that have highlighted the problem of antiquated facilities and poor safety
procedures in Russian facilities.
The city of Nizhnekamsk, population 226,000, was founded in 1961 as a work settlement.
The May 12 afternoon blast occurred in the Nizhnekamsk plant's machine room and caused a fire, the regional emergency response agency reported.
All of those injured were hospitalized, with one reported to be in critical condition.
The head of the plant's machine room was killed along with a fireman. Officials said welding was being done in the machine room at the time of the explosion.
The Nizhnekamsk hydroelectric power plant is situated on the Kama River, which separates European Russia from the Urals region. The facility, built in 1979, was never completed according to its original design plans.
The explosion is the latest in a string of Russian industrial accidents that have highlighted the problem of antiquated facilities and poor safety
procedures in Russian facilities.
The city of Nizhnekamsk, population 226,000, was founded in 1961 as a work settlement.