Siberian shopping mall blaze kills 64, leaves several children missing

Monday, March 26, 2018

A violent blaze at a popular shopping mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo claimed at least 64 lives, including 9 children and left several more missing on Sunday, according to a spokesman for the firefighting agency who mentioned it to the Russian state media.

The state news agency reported that a fire at the Zimnyaya Vishnya that is also referred to as Winter Cherry shopping mall in central Kemerovo broke out on the top floor of a four-story building.

Thereafter it consumed an area of nearly 1,600 square meters.

Earlier fire authorities mentioned that as many as 69 people including 40 children were missing inside the complex. The complex comprises a cinema, bowling alley, petting zoo and a children’s center as per the local news agency.

Video captured at the scene of the sire showed thick clouds of grew black smoke pouring out of the windows and roof of the shopping mall as fire crews started working desperately to control the blaze.

Even after the sun set, a dull red glow could be seen over the building before the fire was extinguished.

Footage from the scene had been showing a person falling down from what seems to be the third floor while black smoke billowed from a window. Twenty people were finally rescued from the burning building as reported by the state media and nearly 100 others had to be evacuated.

The fire was brought under control late Sunday night as specified by the firefighting agency and a criminal case has also been opened.

Families of the victims would be paid about $17,500 in compensation each following the fire, as specified by Aman Tuleyev who is the Governor of Kemerovo who has announced it early on Monday morning.

Kemerovo is located about 800 kilometers northeast of the border of Kazakhstan that is about 3,600 kilometres east of the Russian capital Moscow.

Opened in the year 2013, the Winter Cherry shopping mall covers an area measuring about 23,000 square meters and includes parking space for 250 cars.

« Back to Page