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Improper storage among causes of central Moscow fire, investigators say

According to the investigators, unidentified bodies were found in the debris of the fire, and the number of casualties has yet to be specified

MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/. The improper storage of goods and fire safety violations caused the fire on Komsomolskaya Square in central Moscow on Sunday, and a criminal case has been opened, the Russian Investigative Committee reported on Monday.

"The investigation has established that two separate buildings in Moscow caught fire on an area of 2,500 square meters in the afternoon of November 20 as a result of the improper storage of goods and fire safety violations," the Committee said on its Telegram channel.

According to the investigators, unidentified bodies were found in the debris of the fire, and the number of casualties has yet to be specified.

Fire at flower warehouse

The fire was reported at 3:13 pm Moscow time on Sunday. Seven people were evacuated from the warehouse. The flame partially destroyed floor structures between the building’s first and second floors on an area of 500 square meters, emergencies services told TASS. The fire was localized on an area of 2,500 square meters and was extinguished at 11:55 pm, after having raged for almost nine hours. Six people were killed and another one injuried.

According to a preliminary version, a malfunctioning electric heater and a power shutdown could have caused the fire, an emergencies official told TASS.

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