September 27, 2026 - An explosion occurred on Saturday at the Elga coal deposit in Yakutia, the largest coal deposit in Russia, killing four people.

According to Ukrinform, Current Time stated this on its website, citing Russian media.

According to the prosecutor's office, the incident occurred during welding work at a backup pumping station.

The Elgaugol company said the station was operated by a contractor. It added that, according to preliminary information, the explosion may have been caused by a loss of pressure or a breach in the water tank at the pumping station.

Four people, aged 20, 22, 38, and 49, were reportedly killed in the incident. It is claimed that welding work was being carried out near a container containing methane, which exploded. This information has not been independently confirmed.

The regional branch of the Investigative Committee said that a criminal case had been opened under an article concerning violations of safety rules during construction and other work that, through negligence, resulted in the deaths of two or more people.

According to Deutsche Welle, the Elga deposit is the largest in Russia and one of the largest coking-coal deposits in the world. It is located in southeastern Yakutia, in Neryungri district, near the borders with Amur region and Khabarovsk Krai.

According to an estimate by the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC), the deposit contains more than 2.2 billion tonnes of coking coal reserves.

Data from Elga company indicate that since 2023, the site has reportedly produced 45 million tonnes of coal annually and shipped 30 million tonnes. At the end of June 2026, company representatives said that approximately 8,000 people worked directly at the deposit.

As Ukrinform reported, in April, a powerful explosion occurred on the premises of Russia's oldest state gunpowder plant in Kazan's Kirovsky district.