22 killed in fire at nursing home in Russia

Gulf Today Report

At least 22 people died on Friday night as a result of a fire in a private illegal nursing home in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.

The authorities said many people were taken to hospital in serious condition, and 4 left the hospital after receiving treatment, according to local media.

Media reported that, “At 5:25 (3:25 GMT), paramedics finished the work of removing the rubble.

The fire claimed the lives of 22 people.

The Tass news agency quoted sources of the emergency services as saying that the fire broke out in a two-storey building at 21.22 pm Moscow time. It engulfed the area of 180 square metres, and expanded before the firefighting teams arrived at the scene. The second floor of the building was completely burned.

More than 80 people and 28 fire engines participated in extinguishing the fire.

The authorities indicated that the nursing home belonged to non-governmental organizations and had not been subject to formal registration procedures.

The Governor of the Kemerovo region, Sergei Tsvelev, announced an examination of all nursing homes in the province, especially non-governmental ones.

The mayor of Kemerovo, Dmitry Anisimov, and the head of the regional government, Ilya Serdyuk, arrived at the scene.

The competent Russian authorities also announced the opening of an investigation into the incident.