YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. An explosion has hit the Sverdlov defense plant in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, killing three and leaving another three missing, TASS reported citing law enforcement sources.

"According to preliminary reports, the explosion killed three and left another two injured. Besides, three people are missing," the source said.

He added that some ammonal explosive had gone off in one of the plant’s workshops. "A technological process disruption is believed to have caused the explosion," the source said, adding that "a fire broke out after the blast, engulfing an area of 100 square meters." Firefighters are working at the scene.

The Sverdlov plant is the biggest producer of industrial explosives, detonators and booster leads for the mining industry, TASS reported.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan