An explosion and fire occurred at a gunpowder factory in Russia's Kazan city, resulting in a partial collapse, according to local reports.

Liliya Galimova, head of the press service for the Tatarstan Raisa, said the incident was man-made in origin and confirmed that there were casualties, The Caspian Post reports.

She added that emergency services quickly arrived at the scene to deal with the consequences.

Galimova also stated that the factory continues to operate and that there is no threat to human life or health.

However, the Telegram channel “112,” which is closely linked to security services, reported that two people were hospitalized, one of them in serious condition.

According to sources cited by KazanFirst, the fire was caused by a man-made explosion that occurred around 6:00 PM. Three people were reported injured. Local residents said they heard a loud blast followed by a shockwave and saw smoke rising from the factory. At least five fire crews and ambulance teams were deployed to the scene.

Galimova explained that the loud sound and shockwave were the result of a pressure relief system activating in accordance with safety regulations designed for such situations.

Separately, the Mash Telegram channel reported that the explosion occurred during pipe repair work at the plant.