Russian firefighters fight to put out a huge fire at a shopping mall in Moscow. One person died.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry says the big fire in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow, broke out around 6 a.m.
7,000 square meters of the Mega Khimki shopping center were hit and one person died, write the Russian news agencies RIA and TASS.
According to the emergency services, the cause of the fire must be equipment failure and a violation of fire safety rules during work, according to RIA. Police have launched an investigation into the fire.
The firefighting work is complicated due to the building’s design, reports Russia’s Ministry of Crisis Situations. A large supply of oxygen caused the fire to spread rapidly over a large area and the center’s roof collapsed.
According to the authorities, more than 70 fire brigade teams are at work on site.
Social media videos show fierce flames and smoke rising from the mall and people fleeing the building to an outdoor parking lot.
The emergency services reported that, among other things, gas cylinders and cans of paint began to explode, writes RIA.
Mega Khimki is a large shopping and entertainment center, approximately seven kilometers from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
Traffic in the area is partially affected and traffic jams have appeared on the highways.
The case is up to date.
