Woman and four children die in apartment fire in Komsomolsk-on-Amur
In short
A woman and her four children died in a fire in a fourth-floor apartment of a residential building on Gamarnika Street in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Krai, early on 8 October. Neighbours rescued two girls, who are in hospital in moderate condition with no threat to their lives, Interfax reported. Investigators have opened a criminal case for causing death by negligence.
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A woman and her four children died in a fire in an apartment on the fourth floor of a residential building in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Krai, according to RIA Novosti, RBC and Interfax. Two other children were rescued. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Citing the regional directorate of the Investigative Committee, Interfax reported that the bodies of the woman and her four children were found early on the morning of 8 October while firefighters were putting out the fire in the apartment on Gamarnika Street. Neighbours rescued two girls. The fire covered 10 square metres. The investigators opened a criminal case under Part 3 of Article 109 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers causing death by negligence to two or more persons. [ 3 ]
An investigative team, working with state fire supervision specialists, is examining the scene. Fire-technical, forensic medical and criminalistic examinations have been ordered to establish the cause and circumstances of the fire, Interfax reported. [ 3 ]
Khabarovsk Krai governor Dmitry Demeshin will personally oversee the investigation and offered condolences to the relatives and friends of the dead, according to Interfax. He instructed the regional health ministry to provide the rescued girls with all necessary medical care, medicines and support, including psychological help. The children are in hospital, and doctors assess their condition as moderate with no threat to their lives. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The regional branch of Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case, and fire-technical, forensic medical and criminalistic examinations have been ordered to establish the cause. Khabarovsk Krai governor Dmitry Demeshin will personally oversee the investigation, Interfax reported.
Key facts
- Five people died in a fire in a residential building in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The dead were a woman and her four children. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The fire was in an apartment on the fourth floor of a residential building on Gamarnika Street. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Two girls were rescued; Interfax reported that neighbours saved them. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The fire covered 10 square metres. [ 3 ]
- A criminal case was opened under Part 3 of Article 109 of the Russian Criminal Code, causing death by negligence to two or more persons. [ 3 ]
- The rescued girls are in hospital in moderate condition with no threat to their lives, according to doctors cited by Interfax. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- What caused the fire. Interfax reported that examinations have been ordered to establish the cause and circumstances; no cause has been given.
- The ages of the children who died and of the two rescued girls. None of the documents give the children's ages.