The police in Russia are now investigating the shopping mall fire that killed at least 64 people in the city of Kemerovo in southwestern Siberia.
The fire, which started on Sunday morning, is the most devastating in Russia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
According to Reuters, dozens of children are believed to be among the dead.
And the worst part of it all? It could have been entirely avoided.
Serious fire in Russian shopping center in Kemerovo
It was a day like any other at the ‘Winter Cherry’ shopping center in Kemerovo, southwestern Siberia.
There were hundreds of children and adults in the shopping center with a cinema complex, a bowling alley, various forms of children’s entertainment, and an abundance of restaurants.
But soon enough, the day would turn into a nightmare.
The shopping center was full of people when a fire quickly began to spread. The roof of the complex collapsed before firefighters could reach the upper floors.
Despite firefighters doing everything they could to stop the flames, the fire claimed 1500 square meters in a very short time. While this was happening, firefighters and other rescue workers risked their lives to get people out of the building, with dangerous smoke and gases turning the center into a toxic hell. Minister Vladimir Pushkov explained how extreme temperatures made certain parts of the building inaccessible.
Last moments
According to Russian authorities, a total of 64 people have died so far as a result of the fire. However, many bodies are heavily burned and difficult to identify, so the number could still rise.
There are still six people missing, and many of the victims are young children. According to Reuters, some children trapped in the cinema sent text messages, or called parents while trying to escape.
13-year-old Maria Moroz was one of these children. Her final words have been revealed by Russian media, as she texted: “We are on fire…”
“It seems like this is goodbye for me.”
There are also children suffering from injuries incurred when jumping out of windows.
Emergency exits blocked
According to reports, the shopping center – formerly a cake factory – had few doors and certainly not enough windows for a building of this size.
At the moment, there are several theories about how the fire could have started. Apparently, the fire alarm in certain areas may not have worked, leading to many people receiving a late alarm.
Unfortunately, a number of bodies were found in the cinema, where the doors and emergency exits were closed and possibly locked. Investigators also suggest that exits were illegally blocked, causing obstructions for people trying to flee quickly.
“Serious violations occurred when the shopping center was built and when it operated. The emergency exits were blocked,” said Svetlana Petrenko, a police spokesperson, in a statement.
Meanwhile, Anna Kuznetsova, the Russian children’s ombudsman, said the fire was caused by incompetence. She further suggested that all similar shopping centers in the country should be immediately inspected.
Father tried to save daughters
Alexander Lillevjalis told the newspaper Meduza that he and his wife Olga had lost their three daughters in the fire – one was only 5, while the other two were 11.
According to Lillevjalis, one of the girls called him to say there was smoke everywhere and they couldn’t get out because the doors were locked.
Heartbreakingly, he explained how he led firefighters up the stairs before they were ordered to go to another area.
The father asked to borrow one of the firefighter’s breathing masks to go in himself, but he was denied.
“My daughters continued to burn because of their rules,” he told the Meduza newspaper.
“Tell mom that I loved her”
12-year-old Vika Pochankia even spoke on the phone with her aunt, Evfeniya Oganisyan, as she tried to escape.
Her aunt has since relayed her niece’s words, spoken before the phone cut off: “Aunt, tell all my family that I love them. Tell mom that I loved her…”
Four people have been arrested by the Russian police, including two employees of the company responsible for adjusting the fire alarms of the shopping center.
This tragedy once again shows how important it is to take safety seriously. No one should have died in an accident like this.
I hope the responsible parties receive appropriate punishment and that the families of the victims find peace, although nothing can bring back their loved ones.
Rest in peace to all those who lost their lives in this tragedy!
