Major fire erupts at Bashkiria Chemical Plant following gas pipeline explosion
In Bashkortostan, Russia, a fire erupted at the "Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant" (SNHZ). Local residents first heard "explosions" before seeing a column of black smoke. The official cause of the incident is suspected to be safety protocol violations rather than external factors, according to the Investigative Committee of Russia. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia detailed the incident's impact on their Telegram channel.
The first report of the blaze in Sterlitamak emerged online around 10:23 AM on August 19; Russian media outlet Baza covered the news. Rescuers confirmed the emergency, attributing it to a gas pipeline leak leading to the local petrochemical plant. A firefighting crew of 20 was deployed to combat the flames. There are known casualties; three Russians have been hospitalized, with the Ministry of Health of the Republic confirming that the injured sustained severe burns—two in critical condition and one in particularly grave condition.
The Russian Investigative Committee has responded to the emergency, opening a criminal investigation into the accident, as reported by TASS. They suspect the fire resulted from violations of safety requirements. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported two drone attacks on the morning of August 19. One attack occurred overnight, with drones flying through the Belgorod and Kursk regions. Russian air defense systems managed to intercept four UAVs.
Social media captured the gas pipeline fire's moment of ignition. The video showcases an intense flame enveloping the area around the pipes.
Telegram channel Mkset contacted residents to gather more details about the incident. One local reported that the blaze erupted around 11:30 AM local time (9:30 AM Kyiv time) after hearing an explosion followed by a thick column of black smoke.
The "Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant" produces rubber, high-octane fuel additives, and aviation gasoline such as Avgas-100LL and B-91/115. The plant is part of the "Roskhim" group of companies, which is not currently listed under sanctions by the U.S., U.K., EU, or other Ukrainian allies. The plant is situated approximately 1,400 km from Ukraine, meaning a drone would have to traverse five Russian regions, starting from Belgorod to Orenburg.