One killed after fire at chemical plant in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod

The TASS news agency quoted the regional branch of Russia's state labour inspectorate as saying that a man had died after suffering burns on 90% of his body.

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.

Video footage on social media showed dozens of firefighters at the scene and black smoke billowing high into the air. (@spectatorindex)

The ministry said the fire had been contained to an area of 800 square metres 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 labour 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 kilometres (273 miles) east of Moscow. (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow Editing by Gareth Jones)