Four people have been killed and eight others injured in a fire at the Nairit rubber plant in the Armenian capital Yerevan. It has been reported that no poisonous substances were released into the atmosphere.
The tragedy happened on Thursday evening, according to the Ria Novosti news agency.
The fire followed a powerful explosion in the chloroprene section of the plant, and a second explosion followed shortly afterwards.
A total of 27 firefighting units were sent to the scene. The fire was put out at about midnight.
An official from Armenia’s Emergencies Ministry, Nikolay Grigoryan, said the people who died were all plant employees who had been in the chloroprene section.
He added that a criminal case had been launched and a team of experts is investigating the causes of the incident.
The Nairit plant has been producing polychloroprene rubber since 1940.