MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. Sixteen people have been killed following an explosion and fire at a gunpowder plant in Russia’s Ryazan Region, another one received burns on 80% of his skin surface, and he is in serious condition, Alexei Kuznetsov, an aide to the Russian Minister of Health, reported on Friday. 

"Based on preliminary information, at 11:30 a.m. (Moscow Time) the incident resulted in 16 deaths. Medical evacuation of the injured individual is currently being conducted in the Ryazan Region to a local hospital. He received burns on 80% of his skin surface, and his condition is assessed as severe," he said.

Kuznetsov added that according to the instructions of Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, specialists from the Russian Health Ministry's Vishnevsky Research Institute joined in providing assistance. "Medical psychologists and disaster medical crews are working on site," he stated.

According to the Emergencies Ministry, information about the blaze in the Lesnoye settlement of the Shilovsky District was received at 08:22 am. Firefighters extinguished the inferno at the gunpowder plant that covered an area of 160 sq. m. at 09:31 am. According to the emergency services, the fire was preceded by a blast due to violations in the gunpowder workshop’s production process.