MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. The Severnaya Thermal Power Plant in Mytishchi, near Moscow, has caught fire and a large number of fire-fighting units from the Russian Emergencies Ministry have been dispatched to the scene, a source in the emergencies services told TASS on Thursday.

"The accident occurred at Thermal Power Plant No. 27 (Severnaya), located in the village of Chelobityevo, in the Mytishchi district of the Moscow Region. A large number of units of the Emergencies Ministry have been deployed to the site," the source said.

According to preliminary data, the fire may have been caused by a blast. The blaze has released a pillar of smoke rising roughly 50 meters high. At least seven people have been hurt in the accident.

"Seven people have been hurt, all of them have sustained first-and second degree burns. Now medical assistance is being provided to them," the source commented.

"A gas pipeline is on fire, measures are being taken to block the pipeline, the thermal plant will be shut down," reported the source.

The gas-powered Severnaya thermal plant in Mytishchi, with the capacity of 1,060 MWt, was put into service in 1992.