Death toll in Ukraine's plant explosion rises to 5

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Death toll in Ukraine's plant explosion rises to 5

(Xinhua) 08:04, August 07, 2013

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KIEV, Aug. 6 -- The death toll in a chemical plant explosion in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region has risen to 5 after two of the wounded succumbed to injuries, the Ukrainian State Service for Emergencies said on Tuesday.

The blast occurred at around 2:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT) Tuesday at the Stirol plant in Gorlovka town during maintenance work on an ammonia reservoir. It ripped through the plant, killing three workers on the spot and injuring 11 others.

The injured were rushed to a local hospital, where two of them died later.

"Some of the injured are in serious condition, but most are in moderate state," City Prosecutor of Gorlovka Oleg Kolesnik said at a briefing later in the day.

All the victims suffered from respiratory tract burns and ammonia poisoning, Kolesnik added.

The local authorities said that there was no immediate threat to public health, as no harmful chemicals were released into the air.

The Donetsk Region Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal case over the incident.

Stirol, one of the largest fertilizer producers in Ukraine, also suffered a fire on May 26, which caused no casualties.

（Editor：YaoChun、Zhang Qian）