UPDATE – Death toll from factory explosion in Russia rises to 10

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, GOVERNOR’S STATEMENTS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz and Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – The death toll from an explosion at a plant in Chelyabinsk, west-central Russia, has risen to 10, according to the regional governor.

“Ten deaths have been confirmed. Search operations are ongoing. Five people have been hospitalized. Their condition is stable but serious. Two patients have been transported to the burn center, and two more to Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1. One patient remains in the Kopeysk City Hospital until she can be transported,” Alexei Teksler wrote on Telegram.

He said the fire had been extinguished and that the area was being surveyed by emergency teams.

“A state of municipal emergency has been declared in the Kopeysk urban district. An investigation is underway, and all the circumstances of the tragedy will be established. I would like to emphasize once again that this is not a UAV (drone) attack,” the governor added.

Explosions occurred at the plant in Kopeysk on Thursday evening.

Earlier reports said four people were killed and five injured in the explosion at the factory, which local media said produces plastic products.

Teksler earlier said all emergency services were on site and there was no threat to residents or civilian infrastructure.