Russian cafe fire leaves 15 dead, 250 evacuated
Moscow (Russia), November 5: A "flare gun fire" caused a large blaze at a cafe in Russia, killing 15 people in the Russian city of Kostroma, according to Russian news agencies.
According to TASS, the fire started in the early hours of Saturday morning in the city of Kostroma after someone allegedly discharged a flare during an argument at the 'Poligon' cafe. 250 people were evacuated from the building by rescuers. Sergei Sitnikov, governor of the Kostroma region, stated that five people were slightly injured and received medical help.
The cafe's roof collapsed during the fire, which, according to emergency services, covered an area of 3,500 m2.
Images on state television showed dozens of emergency personnel battling a massive fire that had engulfed the single-story building.
According to TASS, the fire began around 2:00 a.m. local time and was extinguished around 7:30 a.m.
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A criminal investigation has been launched, and Russian authorities are looking for the person who used the flare gun, which is a signalling device commonly used in emergency situations.
According to TASS, who cited emergency services sources, the fire was likely started by a drunk man with a "flare gun."
"He was in the bar with a woman, ordering her flowers, and holding a flare gun," a source told the agency.
"He then proceeded to the dance floor and fired it."
Kostroma, home to 270,000 people, is located roughly 340 kilometres (210 miles) north of Moscow by a river.
This isn't the first time pyrotechnics have sparked a deadly fire in Russia.
In 2009, more than 150 people were killed in a blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in the city of Perm that erupted after someone set off fireworks, reported Euronews.
- ANI
