A massive warehouse caught fire in St. Petersburg
On the night of August 22–23, a large-scale fire broke out in the Izhora Industrial Zone in St. Petersburg. The fire spread rapidly, and the area affected by the blaze grew from 22,000 to 82,000 square meters in just a few hours.
Russian media and local Telegram channels are reporting on the fire. According to their reports, a large warehouse in the Izhora Industrial Zone caught fire. The building measures approximately 680 by 120 meters, which means it is a very large warehouse facility.
The fire has been classified as a Level 4 incident. According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the fire initially covered about 22,000 square meters, but the affected area later increased to 82,000 square meters. “The building contains goods and products for various purposes,” the Russian ministry stated.
Rescue workers and firefighting aircraft are on the scene. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The Russian publication BAZA notes that a logistics center, where various goods were received and stored, previously operated at this address. Eyewitnesses describe thick black smoke that was visible from a distance. They also say the smell of burning could be detected several kilometers away.
However, according to available information, no drone or missile alert was issued in St. Petersburg or the surrounding region that night. According to Astra, the warehouse that caught fire is located approximately 350 meters from another large Ozon warehouse. Separately, reports emerged of a fire at an Ozon facility in another Russian region—the Orenburg Oblast. Orenburg Mayor Albert Yumadilov reported a drone attack on the company’s warehouse.
According to him, several drones were allegedly shot down over a special economic zone where industrial enterprises are located. Afterward, debris fell onto the grounds of the Ozon logistics complex. “Debris fell onto the grounds of the Ozon logistics complex, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished by Emergency Ministry personnel,” Yumadilov wrote.
Thus, reports of a fire in St. Petersburg and a fire at the Ozon facility in Orenburg refer to two separate incidents. Russian authorities have not yet officially identified the cause of the large-scale fire at the warehouse in the Izhora Industrial Zone. This was reported by the Astra Telegram channel.
Over the past day, the Russian army lost another 1,310 soldiers in the war against Ukraine. Ukrainian forces also destroyed one Russian aircraft, 26 armored combat vehicles, 69 artillery systems, and nearly 2,000 drones.
Over the past day, August 22, there were 254 clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces on the front lines. The highest number of attacks was recorded in the Kostiantynivka and Pokrovsk sectors.
