MOSCOW, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people have been killed in a blast and a following blaze that hit a plant in Russia's Ryazan region on Friday, TASS news agency reported.

At the time of the incident, there were 17 people in the one-story workshop of the "Razryad" company that produces industrial explosives, and rescuers have found 15 bodies.

The fire that covered an area of 160 square meters has been extinguished. The workshop building was completely destroyed in the blast.

The reason for the incident has not yet been officially announced.