Four Bangladeshis killed in Russia factory fire, one still critical

Another Bangladeshi worker has died following the fire at a gas-chemical plant in Russia's Amur region, bringing the death toll among Bangladeshis to four. The latest victim, Mahin Uddin, was from Narsingdi.

First Secretary (Labour) of the Bangladesh Embassy in Moscow, Mizanur Rahman, said Mahin died at a hospital on Friday morning local time. He had visited Mahin at the hospital on Wednesday, when he was still able to speak and had video-called his family.

A fire broke out at the Amur Gas-Chemical Complex near the town of Svobodny in Amur region on August 25. The death toll initially reported as seven later rose to 15, with 14 of the deceased being foreign nationals, according to plant authorities.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Moscow confirmed the death of one Bangladeshi and another missing two days after the fire. Later, the missing person and two other Bangladeshis were confirmed dead. The deceased include Zakir Hossain (Bhairab, Kishoreganj), Md Alal Hossain Raju (Gangni, Meherpur), Abdul Kuddus (Pangsha, Rajbari) and Mahin Uddin (Narsingdi).

Embassy official Mizanur Rahman said the post-mortem and necessary procedures for Zakir and Raju have been completed. Their bodies are expected to be sent to Bangladesh by cargo plane within September 9. The process for sending the bodies of Abdul Kuddus and Mahin Uddin may take another six to seven days.

A total of 36 Bangladeshis were injured in the fire, four of whom have died. One person remains hospitalised in critical condition, while the rest have returned home after treatment.

The $10 billion gas-chemical project is a joint venture between Russian petrochemical company Sibur and China's state-owned Sinopec. It is planned to become one of the world's largest polymer production centres and was undergoing final testing before its scheduled launch early next year.

Plant authorities said the fire started in an auxiliary part of the pyrolysis unit and spread, but the main equipment of the complex was not damaged.