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Restaurant on fire in downtown Moscow

It is an old building constructed in late 18th century and rebuilt in the 19th century by architect Gushchin

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Fomichev

MOSCOW, January 29. /ITAR-TASS/. A restaurant is on fire in central Moscow. The blaze has swept 500 square meters, metropolitan police told Itar-Tass.

Thick black smoke is billowing from the building. Open flame is seen. Pyatnitskaya Street is blocked for transport traffic.

The fire broke out at about 15:30 Moscow time (11:30 GMT) at Building 26, Pyatnitskaya Street. Two restaurants occupy the building.

First firefighters arrived at the site in seven minutes.

Nobody was hurt. The administration said there were no people in the building.

According to the preliminary information, the fire broke on the roof and then spread in the old building, causing an explosion of a gas cylinder. The building may collapse.

It is an old building constructed in late 18th century and rebuilt in the 19th century by architect Gushchin.

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