At Least Four People Died in Fire at Oil Refinery in W Russia – Authorities

At least four people died in a fire that occurred at an oil refinery in the Kstovsky district of Russia’s western Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, the press service of the regional administration told Sputnik on Thursday.

"At the moment, the death of four people has been confirmed, data on the victims is also being checked," a representative of the press service said.

Moreover, the press service of the Chief Administration of Emergency Situations Ministry in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast said in a statement that the open fire had been eliminated.

"At 17:32 Moscow time [14:32 GMT] open fire at LUKoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez was eliminated. Works on liquidation of fire consequences continue," the statement read.

According to the Emergency Situations Ministry, the fire area amounted to almost 10,000 square feet. A total of 237 emergency response workers and 50 vehicles were involved in the operation. The fire at the oil refinery belonging to a subsidiary of the LUKoil energy giant broke out at 11:10 GMT during repair works on the petrol tank, according to the company’s press service.