RAMENSKY, Moscow Region, April 26 (Itar-Tass) – The fire alarm system in the mental hospital in the town of Ramensky, the Moscow Region, was in good working order, deputy head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s Central Regional Centre Alexander Basulin told Itar-Tass.
The alarm system in the building signaled that there was a fire. A nurse pressed the alarm button, sending the signal to the firefighting service.
The building was inspected last year. Some violations of the fire prevention regulations were detected during the inspection. The problems were partially removed, Basulin said.
The official confirmed that 38 out of the 41 people in the hospital died.
Relatives of the victims arrive at the site. They are under the care of psychologists, he said.
Twelve dead bodies have been found at the fire site, the press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry's regional centre told Itar-Tass.
The examination of the premises is continuing.
Forty one people, including three personnel members, were in the hospital when the fire broke out. Only three, including a nurse, survived. The rest 38 people supposedly are dead.
The nurse who rescued two patients could not lead the rest out when the fire swept the corridor and spread fast. She could rescue only two patients - a woman and a young man.
Most of the patients were sleeping after they took medicines before the night.
A criminal case is opened over the fire.