MOSCOW, June 20. /TASS/. Russia’s national technical watchdog, the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor), has launched an inquiry into an explosion at one of the plant’s facilities, the service said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The Upper Don department of Rostekhnadzor has begun an investigation into causes behind the accident at the Tambov Gunpowder Plant," the organization said, adding that the accident "resulted in injuries and deaths of workers from a contracting organization."

A commission was set up to investigate the fatal accident. Rostekhnadzor specialists are now working at the scene.

According to local emergency services, a fire erupted at a gunpowder plant in the town of Kotovsk near Tambov following an explosion on Tuesday afternoon. The blaze was contained and extinguished at an area of one square meter. At least five people were killed, the press service of the Russian Investigative Committee’s Tambov Region department said.