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Hostel fire supposedly caused by gas explosion

About 20 Chinese nationals who worked at a sawmill resided in the hostel, five of them with various burns were taken to a local hospital

IRKUTSK, April 15 (Itar-Tass) - A gas explosion is the main version of the cause of the fire in the hostel in the city of Zima, the Irkutsk Region, where Chinese workers resided, deputy head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry's regional department Valentin Nelyubov told Itar-Tass.

About 20 Chinese nationals who worked at a sawmill resided in the hostel. Five of them with various burns were taken to a local hospital.

The investigators' reports about victims differ from those of rescuers. According to the latest information of the Investigative Committee’s regional department, remains of five bodies were found at the site. The Emergencies Ministry’s department insists that it is early to say about the number of victims. Rescuers do not rule out that those may be remains of animals.

The main version is an explosion of a gas cylinder. Given the national cooking features, supposedly, Chinese nationals who resided in the hostel could cook food over an open fire, emergencies department sources said.

Under consideration is also a version of a short circuit.