Explosion and Fire at Soviet-Era Biological Weapons Facility Holding Smallpox and Ebola ‘No Threat’, Says Russia

The blast happened on Monday at “Vector”, a state-run virus and biotechnology research centre that is one of only two locations in the world to hold the smallpox virus following its eradication in the late 20th century.

The Russian health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said a fire broke out when a gas cylinder exploded, injuring one worker at the facility.

Glass was broken but the structure of the building remained intact and there were no biohazardous materials in the room where the explosion happened, the watchdog said.

Russian scientists killed in missile test blast were working on ‘new weapons’

The fire was extinguished on Monday, authorities told news agencies.

The blast near Novosibirsk, the country’s third most populous city, is the latest to hit Russian state facilities this year.

In August, one person died and thousands had to be evacuated because of a fire at a Siberian ammunition depot that set off a series of dramatic explosions.

Russian authorities have refused to release details of the blast and President Vladimir Putin said there was “no threat” from radiation following the test.