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Kemerovo residents rally in city center to demand impartial probe into mall tragedy

According to the latest information, the fire has claimed the lives of 64 people, while over 60 others sought medical attention

© AP Photo/Sergei Gavrilenko

KEMEROVO, March 27. /TASS/. Several hundred people gathered in the central square of the Siberian city of Kemerovo on Tuesday to pay homage to those who have died in the shopping mall fire and demand an impartial investigation into the tragedy from the authorities.

"We are concerned about the rumors that have surfaced around this tragedy. We want to know the exact number of victims. We also need to hear who is to blame for what happened and what measures will be taken," some participants in the rally told TASS.

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There are many young people among them. Talking to them, Kemerovo Mayor Ilya Seredyuk suggested that they form a group of citizens to visit the mortuary and the shopping mall center and see for themselves that the rumors about a great number of victims are not true. When asked by the mayor who is ready to go to the mortuary, the people answered, "Everyone is!"

The fire at the Zimnyaya Vishnya (Winter Cherry) shopping mall in Kemerovo erupted on March 25 on the top floor of the four-story building. According to the latest information, the fire has claimed the lives of 64 people, while over 60 others sought medical attention. Fifteen people are currently in the hospital. Twenty-five bodies have been identified, including 13 children. The regional authorities have declared three days of mourning as of March 27.

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