MOSCOW, January 26 (Itar-Tass) – Nine people died and six people were hospitalised when a fire broke out in a Moscow housing complex, the Russian Healthcare Ministry told Itar-Tass.
The Mayor’s Office also confirmed the death of nine people, Deputy Mayor for the Social Development Leonid Pechatnikov told journalists.
Criminal proceedings have been instituted against people’s death during the fire in the south-west of Moscow, a spokesperson to the Interior Ministry Main Directorate told Itar-Tass on Saturday.
The spokesperson said during the investigation, all circumstances of the tragedy would be established. Those who are guilty of the tragic incident will be punished. At present, the investigation team works on the ground.
The fire in a new housing development in Moscow has killed nine builders, the Emergency Situations Ministry told Itar-Tass on Saturday.
“By 4.20 p.m. Moscow time the inspection of all buildings has been over,” the ministry said.
“According to the ministry’s reports, nine people have died during the fire in the new housing development, Khersonskaya Street,” the ministry said.
Among those who were affected by the fire are workers, who were building the facility and residing in it.
“The fire occurred at Khersonskaya Street at 1:08 p.m. Moscow time. Two hours later the fire was put out. The total area of the fire was 200 square metres.”
“According to update information, the fire occurred in a housing complex. Under the project, it should have 24 storeys. The facility should be ended in the summer,” an official of the ministry said.
The ministry said the fire could occur due to the gross violation of safety rules during construction works with the use of fire equipment as a result of which construction debris caught on fire.
Only two people have died during the fire in the south-west of Moscow, spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry Main Directorate for Moscow Viktor Biryukov told journalists.
The fire occurred in a 24-storey housing complex 43, Khersonskay Street, in the south-west of Moscow, Biryukov said.
He said as of 4.50 p.m. Moscow time at least 16 people have been injured during the fire: 14 people received traumas and 10 people were saved.
“The causes of the fire on the complex’s underground are being clarified. The area of the fire was 200 square metres,” Biryukov added.
He said fire-fighting units arrived on the spot in time and took necessary measures to evacuate people.
In addition, law-enforcement agencies said the late call for rescuers could also be one of the reasons for the grave consequences. “It is not ruled out that people tried to put out the fire. But they failed and the fire continued to spread,” a law-enforcer said.
He added that people died due to poisoning of combustion products.
The Emergency Situations Ministry stressed that a building owner was responsible for fire safety on the facility.