Blaze rips through popular mall in Moscow region: one dead, building almost burnt to the ground

The OBI home improvement and hardware hypermarket has caught fire in Moscow region’s Mega Khimki mall. The fire spread across the whole building of 18,000 square metres, TASS reports. One person, a guard, has died in the blaze.

An explosion rocked the hypermarket followed by a roof collapse over 5,000 square metres. TASS reports that explosive building materials like paint and aerosols are exploding.

More than 10 firetrucks, rescue services, and police officers are working at the site, while an ambulance is nearby on standby. More than 70 people and 20 units of firefighter vehicles are involved in the operation.

Mash writes that some people were inside the mall when the fire broke out. According to the Telegram channel, employees were evacuated immediately after the fire alarm went off.

When the roof collapsed, a lot of oxygen rushed inside the building which caused the fire to spread even further, sources in emergency services said.

RIA Novosti initially reported that arson was considered to be the primary cause of fire. The agency later noted that the arson theory is not confirmed, work violations and faulty equipment are now the primary suspects.

The Russian Emergency Ministry said that the preliminary cause of fire is attributed to violation of safety instructions when welding.

The Moscow region prosecutor’s office has launched a probe into the fire. A criminal case has also been opened.