Updated with new injury count, death toll.A powerful explosion ripped through an optical equipment factory outside Moscow, triggering a total evacuation from all nearby buildings, local authoritiessaid Wednesday.Plumes of smoke billowed high into the air from the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant in the town of Sergiyev Posad, around 70 kilometers northeast of Moscow, as shown in multiple videos shared on social media.At least 30 people were hospitalized with injuries, six of whom are in intensive care, Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov said, adding that another 26 people sought medical care but did not need to be hospitalized.One of the victims has died as a result of their injuries, the state-run TASS news agency reported.Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyovsaidat least five people may still be buried in the rubble, which would take an estimated24 hoursto dig through.
State media reported 56 people have sought medical attention, as of Wednesday evening.Sergiyev Posads administration ordered a total evacuation of all plant buildings and workshops, according to its statement.There are a lot of buildings that had windows blown out, it said on the messaging app Telegram.The cause of the blast is believed to be workflow violations contrary to some reports of a possible drone strike,according to emergency services cited by RIA Novosti.Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it has opened a criminal case on the violation of industrial safety requirements for hazardous production facilities.The Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant, referred to as ZOMZ,produces night vision devices and binoculars for the Russian military as part of Russias defense conglomerate Rostec.The Moscow regions prosecutors office laterconfirmedthat an explosives warehouse located next to the plant was at the epicenter of Wednesday's explosion.State mediaidentifiedthe warehouse as belonging to the fireworks supplier Piro Ross, which has received several warnings of safety violations in recent years and has been undergoing abankruptcyprocedure since April.
Piro Ross director Sergei Chankayevdeniedthe official version that the detonation occurred in his warehouse, claiming instead that the epicenter was a neighboring metal pipe storage house.