Blaze hit area near Arsenal plant in St Petersburg, train services suspended

A fire at an industrial hangar near the Arsenal plant sent thick smoke across Saint Petersburg. Authorities warned of disruptions and continue investigating the cause.

According to the online media Radio Liberty.

In the evening of June 8, a large fire broke out near the Arsenal plant in the area around the Finlyandsky railway station in Saint Petersburg, according to Russian news agencies. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the fire started in a hangar on Mineralnaya Street and spread to about 400 square meters.

According to preliminary data, the cause of the fire could have been a fire or an explosion in the hangar where chemical reagents were stored. A dense column of smoke rose over the city, visible from various districts.

The Arsenal plant is known for producing military-grade products, including artillery ammunition. Officially, no direct link between the enterprise and the fire has been confirmed.

According to Fontanka, firefighters managed to bring the fire under control. The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that 64 firefighters and 15 units of equipment worked at the scene. No information about casualties at the time of publication.

The incident led to a halt in electric train traffic on the Finlyandsky line. Oktyabrskaya Railway said that on the territory of the plant adjoining the tracks, a brick fence was destroyed and railway infrastructure damaged. Passengers of several trains were temporarily not allowed to exit the cars; some trains were returned to Finlyandsky Station, and people were able to disembark.

On the morning of June 6, authorities of the Leningrad Region and Saint Petersburg reported a major drone attack. Later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed strikes on Russian territory overnight on June 6, including arsenals and Navy bases in Kronstadt and oil depots in Krasnodar Krai. These events occurred amid a series of attacks on Saint Petersburg, including during the opening days of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

While the causes of the fire and the extent of the damage are being determined, authorities and rescue services continue to monitor the situation and coordinate actions. The incident highlights the risks associated with industrial facilities near railway lines in the city.