A firefighter has died and four others were injured in a major fire at a manufacturing facility in the Russian city of Ivanovo. The fire broke out at 37 Kosyakova Street, a facility for manufacturing mattresses.
The alarm was raised at 2:06 p.m. When the first teams arrived, the manufacturing facility was on fire. At 2:56 p.m., the fire was localized to an area of 900 square meters, but the fire later spread to an area of 4,800 square meters.
During the firefighting operation, a structure on the building collapsed. One of the firefighters was trapped under the debris and died. Four others were injured and taken to hospital. Data on their condition has not been reported.
According to the regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the fire was extinguished at 17:36. A total of 19 units of equipment and 71 people participated in the operation, including 13 fire trucks and 51 employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Previously reported data on the forces on the spot were 14 units of equipment and 59 people.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations indicates that extinguishing the fire was complicated by the complex layout and structural features of the building. The spread of flames and smoke was facilitated by the large amount of combustible materials, and there were no automatic fire protection systems at the site.
Following the incident, a criminal case was opened for causing death by negligence due to improper performance of professional duties. The causes of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the collapse are being clarified.
Sources: interfax-russia.ru, m24.ru, vedomosti.ru