Shopping centre fire in Russia kills at least 48 people

A fire at a shopping centre in the Siberian city of Kemerovo has killed at least 48 people, Russian officials said on Monday.
At least three children and a woman have died in a fire that broke out in a multi-story shopping center in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.At least three children and a woman have died in a fire that broke out in a multi-story shopping center in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.
At least three children and a woman have died in a fire that broke out in a multi-story shopping center in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.

At least 16 people were still missing, state news agency Tass reported, quoting Russian emergencies minister Vladimir Puchkov.

The fire at the four-storey Winter Cherry centre was extinguished in the morning after burning through the night.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Parts of the building were still smouldering and the floors of the cinema hall had caved in in places, another emergency official said.

At least three children and a woman have died in a fire that broke out in a multi-story shopping center in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.At least three children and a woman have died in a fire that broke out in a multi-story shopping center in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.
At least three children and a woman have died in a fire that broke out in a multi-story shopping center in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.

"More bodies were discovered during the inspection of the scene and we confirm the death toll is at 48," deputy emergencies minister Vladlen Aksyonov said, according to Tass.

The news agency had earlier reported that 11 of the bodies had been found in the centre's cinema.

The shopping centre opened in 2013 and also included a petting zoo, children's centre and bowling.

Tass said the fire started on the top floor but the cause was not yet known. A criminal investigation has begun.

The shopping centre is about 1,900 miles east of Moscow.