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Russian government to allocate $17,500 to families of Kemerovo shopping mall fire victims

The prime minister stressed the cause of the tragedy is yet to be established

GORKI, March 26. /TASS/. Russia’s government will allocate one mln rubles ($17,500) to each of the families of the Kemerovo shopping mall fire victims, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting with deputy prime ministers.

"According to the existing rules, we will use the government’s reserve fund to provide assistance to the families of the victims, allocating one million rubles for each of the deceased," he said.

Medvedev handed down instructions to "prepare all the necessary documents by the end of the day so that people could receive the money as soon as possible."

The prime minister noted that the Kemerovo region authorities also planned to allocate one million rubles to the victims’ families. "They also have other ways to help assistance to them," Medvedev added, pointing out that "the families will receive all necessary assistance."

The prime minister stressed "the cause of the tragedy is yet to be established, there should be a thorough investigation."

The fire started on the top floor of the four-storey Zimnyaya Vishnya (or Winter Cherry) shopping mall on March 25, engulfing an area of some 1,500 square meters. According to latest reports, the blaze killed a total of 64 people.

Four people have been detained for questioning, including the lessee of an outlet where the fire is believed to have started.