Double the death toll from the Russian military research institute fire

Number of victims of the fire at the Central Research Institute of the Aerospace Forces Russia in Tver has increased to 11 people, a source in the emergency services agency told TASS on April 23.

“During the debris cleanup, the bodies of five other people were found, bringing the total number of people killed in the fire to 11,” the source said, adding that work at the scene was still continuing. customary.

Earlier, it was reported that 6 people died and 24 were injured in the fire, 13 of which were hospitalized while the remaining 11 were being treated on an outpatient basis. In the firefighting effort, 54 people were saved and 98 people evacuated.

At 11 a.m. Moscow time on April 21, a fire broke out in an office on the second floor of the building. Russian military research institute.

The fire engulfed an area of ​​2,500 square meters, spreading to most floors. The roof of the building partially collapsed. Due to the high temperature, the deterioration of the building and the dense smoke, the work of extinguishing the fire was very complicated.

The Russian Aerospace Forces’ Central Research Institute in Tver is responsible for research into Russia’s air and space defenses, as well as the development of new air defense systems, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

According to preliminary reports, the cause of the fire was an electrical fault. Russian authorities have opened a criminal investigation after the fire.

The cases fire Accidents are common in Russia, where hundreds of fires are recorded each year due to aging and dilapidated infrastructure and often lax compliance with safety standards.