Intense fire at Rostov oil depot persists for fifth day after Ukrainian drone attack
A fire at an oil depot in Proletarsk, Rostov region, persists into its fifth day following a Ukrainian drone attack, reported the Russian news agency RBC. A powerful explosion last night exacerbated the blaze, according to local news outlet 161.ru.
Residents could see the glow from the neighboring settlements. "I live 10 km from the oil depot; the flash looked like a sunset," commented a local resident to 161.ru.
Meanwhile, TASS cites regional medical services reporting that 47 people have been injured due to the fire. 161.ru provides a slightly higher figure of 49, based on information from the Rostov Oblast government. Initially, 42 injured were reported, all of whom were firefighters engaged in battling the blaze at the diesel fuel depot.
According to TASS, rescuers have successfully extinguished fires in six fuel tanks. Previously, it was noted that the flames had engulfed at least 20 tanks out of a total of 74, and the extinguishing efforts could take several more days.
The fire at the fuel depot in Proletarsk began on the morning of August 18th. Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev stated that falling debris from a downed drone caused the fire. Consequently, a heightened state of readiness was declared in the Proletarsky District, and an emergency situation was announced in Proletarsk.