Least 20 people were killed and six were injured in a blaze that swept through a home for the elderly in the siberian city of kemerovo. the two-storey wooden building was completely gutted by the fire, which was thought to have been caused by a faulty heating boiler. dozens of firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze.
Fire happened overnight on saturday and was extinguished early on saturday morning. the home for the elderly was operating illegally and all similar facilities in the region will now be inspected. local fire service officials said many unregistered homes for the elderly were operating across russia and were considered private property and not subject to fire safety inspections.
Cause of the fire is believed to have been a faulty heating boiler, and a criminal inquiry has been launched. this is not the first tragedy to have struck kemerovo, as in 2018, 60 people – including 37 children – died in a leisure centre fire. these events have raised questions about the safety of private homes for the elderly in russia.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64083562?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA
