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Putin demands objective probe into Kemerovo shopping mall fire in spite of suspects’ posts

The president stressed that all lines of inquiry must be pursued

© Alexei Druzhinin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

NOVO-OGARYOVO, March 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded on Wednesday that the investigation’s conclusions on the deadly fire at the Winter Cherry shopping mall in Kemerovo be made regardless of the suspects’ posts.

"Importantly, it should be clear for everyone that the investigation will make conclusions proceeding from the norms of law and regardless of the posts of any persons complicit in this tragedy," Putin said during his meeting with Investigative Committee Head Alexander Bastrykin and Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova.

Putin stressed the need to answer all arising questions.

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"The fire alarm system did not work for a week. Why? It had not been repaired for a week! Why wasn’t it switched on, although the hand gear was workable? Why the doors turned out to be closed? Why combustible materials were used there? There are a lot of questions there," the Russian president said.

Putin gave instructions to report to him regularly on the investigation of this case.

The fire erupted on the top floor of the Zimnyaya Vishnya (or Winter Cherry) four-storey shopping mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo on March 25, eventually engulfing an area of 1,500 square meters. According to recent reports, the blaze killed 64 people, including 41 children, and another 76 people were injured.

President Putin declared March 28 a national day of mourning for the fire victims.

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