At least three people have reportedly been killed in an explosion at a publicly-owned weapons-manufacturing factory in the central Russian region of Nizhny Novgorod.

Russian news wires cited sources as saying that the blast ignited in a part of the Sverdlov chemicals and explosives manufacturing plant in Dzerzhinsk that worked with ammonal, an explosive material.

In a statement on its website, the factory said a ‘bang’ was heard at its mine disposal facility, after which the area was cordoned off.

