A fire erupted in a care home for the elderly in the Russian city of Kemerovo overnight, killing 20 people, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations reports.
UPD: Russia’s Investigative Committee says that the number of victims has gone up to 22 people. “During the inspection of the scene of the incident, remains of two more people were discovered. <...> Six people were injured, two of them with burns were hospitalised in serious condition.
The fire was first reported in the late evening. By the time the emergency crews had arrived, the area of fire was 180 square metres, the roof was ablaze. The fire was categorised as highly difficult by the fire crew, Russia’s state news agency TASS claims.
The fire was extinguished at 11:15 PM (Moscow time, GMT+3), according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. The second floor of the building was completely destroyed by the fire, with only barebones of the first floor remaining, correspondent for Russia’s Interfax news agency reports.
“At 5:25 AM [Moscow time], the rescue crews finished removing debris. Twenty people lost their lives in the fire,” Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations says.
Furthermore, Interfax reports, citing sources, that the care home for the elderly was run illegally.
“A private house burnt down. It’s been determined that it was being used illegally for round-the-clock containment of elderly people. There was no fire extinguishing system installed [in the house],” the source says. This information is also confirmed by TASS via a law enforcement source.
UPD: According to preliminary data, “violation of the rules of stove heating” was the cause of the fire, Interfax reports.
Russian newspaper Izvestia also claims that the owner of the illegal care home is a 31-year-old pastor of an Evangelical church Andrey Smirnov. He told Izvestia that the burnt down house was a homeless shelter and not a care home. According to Smirnov, the facility has been operating for three years; it unofficially houses people that have nowhere to stay overnight.
TASS adds, citing the same source, that incorrect use of an oven was the cause of the fire. A law enforcement source tells Interfax that the fire erupted due to a boiler malfunction.
The regional prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation into the fire.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated criminal cases on negligence, causing death of two or more people through negligence, and providing services that do not meet the standards of safety to lives or health of consumers.
“My deep condolences to relatives and loved ones of the victims. We will check all the facilities of this kind, primarily the private ones. The checks will be over within a week,” Sergey Tsivilev, Governor of the Kemerovo region, writes.
