MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. The fire at the Shagonar Thermoelectric Power Plant (TPP) in Ulug-Khemsky District, Tuva Region, has been fully extinguished, the Russian Emergencies Ministry told TASS.

"The fire at the thermal power plant in the Republic of Tuva has been completely eliminated," the Emergencies Ministry press service said.

An explosion occurred earlier at the thermoelectric power plant in the town of Shagonar. According to the head of the Tuva branch of the Emergencies Ministry, an emergency call reported that a fire had broken out in the TPP’s boiler room, causing heavy smoke. The fire was contained to an area covering 50 square meters, and was later extinguished. First responders and emergency services are working on site, where a crisis management center has been set up. According to the Ulug-Khemsky District administration, the boilers were not damaged. The explosion that sparked the fire occurred at a fuel supply intake duct with a belt container. A total of 23 people were injured as a result of the emergency, 15 of whom were hospitalized. One of the injured was reported earlier to have died, but the Russian Health Ministry has not confirmed the death.