NOT GOOD

Russian Research Center That Houses Dangerous Viruses Rocked by Explosion, Fire

The city’s mayor said the room was not holding any biohazardous substances at the time of the explosion.

The State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology (VECTOR), which houses dangerous viruses such as Ebola near the city of Novosibirsk, Russia, was hit by an explosion Monday. A gas bottle exploded on the fifth floor of a laboratory building during repair work, causing a fire, Radio Free Europe reports. VECTOR holds dangerous strains of smallpox, anthrax, Ebola, and other viruses. The explosion reportedly caused all the glass in the building to shatter. The laboratory was not functioning during repair work and the room was not holding any biohazardous substances, according to Koltsovo mayor Nikolai Krasnikov. One worker was hospitalized with third-degree burns in the blast.