Inferno Halts Operations at Mechel's Key Coal Plant in Russia

A fire at Mechel's Neryungri coal plant in northeastern Russia led to work stoppage after injuring four people. Preliminary findings suggest a methane fire caused the incident. Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a negligence case. Over 50 firefighters were involved in extinguishing the blaze.

A significant fire at Mechel's coal processing plant in Neryungri, Russia, disrupted operations and injured four workers, the company declared on Wednesday. This incident in the Republic of Sakha triggered a complete plant evacuation and temporary cessation of operations. Preliminary signals pointed to a methane fire as the likely cause.

The blaze, which inflicted damage on warehouses, buildings, and a conveyor system, was later extinguished, according to the Yakutia emergencies ministry's Telegram statement. Russia's Investigative Committee has now launched a criminal negligence case to investigate the underlying causes more thoroughly.

The Neryungri plant, an essential part of the Russian coal industry since 1985 and managed by the parent company Yakutugol, has the capacity to produce nine million tons of coking coal per year. In response to the crisis, more than 50 firefighters were dispatched to control the situation, aided by over twelve specialized pieces of equipment.

(With inputs from agencies.)