Fire engulfs Omsk factory known for producing military tanks
A fire broke out in Omsk, Western Siberia, setting a tank manufacturing factory ablaze. Clouds of black smoke rose over the city.
The fire began on 12 September at the Omsktransmash factory, which produces tanks and heavy flame-thrower systems. The factory is part of the Uralvagonzavod concern, a subsidiary of the state corporation Rostec.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported receiving a fire alert. Official reports indicate that the roof of one of the factory buildings was on fire.
The governor of the Omsk region, Vitaly Khotsenko, stated on his Telegram channel that the roof caught fire during repair work.
“At the enterprise, during roof repairs by a contractor, a local fire of the roofing occurred. This incident did not affect the production process. There were no casualties," Omsktransmash assured in a statement.
The tanks and heavy flame-thrower systems TOS-1A "Solntsepek" produced by the factory are sent to the front in Ukraine. It is no wonder that suspicions have arisen that the fire was the result of sabotage or a Ukrainian drone attack, especially since this is the latest fire in the city in recent weeks.
On 26 August, a fire broke out at the Omsk Oil Refinery. Rostechnadzor stated that the cause of the fire was a "gas-air mixture explosion". One refinery worker died, and six were injured.
Russian refineries and fuel depots have recently been targets of Ukrainian attacks. However, Omsk is located about 1,243 miles from the Ukrainian border, and there is currently no evidence that the fire at the Omsk refinery was caused by a Ukrainian drone attack.
