BREAKING NEWS

One killed after fire at chemical plant in Russia

A lorry driver was killed after a fire ripped through several garages at a chemical production facility in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia's emergency services ministry said on Thursday, as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

The ministry said the fire had been contained to an area of 800 square meters and there was no threat to residential areas. Video footage on social media showed dozens of firefighters at the scene and black smoke billowing high into the air.

The TASS news agency quoted the regional branch of Russia's state labor inspectorate as saying that a man had died after suffering burns on 90% of his body as a result of a tanker fire on the territory of the Balzam chemical plant.

Balzam could not immediately be reached for comment. The plant in Nizhny Novgorod is around 440 kilometers (273 miles) east of Moscow.