Firefighters rescue 50 residents after Kurgan apartment fire spreads to roof

Firefighters rescued 50 people from a five-storey residential building in Kurgan and evacuated another 73. The regional emergencies department reported no injuries.

The fire broke out overnight on October 10 in an apartment on the top floor of the building on Krasnomayachnaya Street. It spread to the roof and covered 70 square metres, RIA Novosti reported, citing the emergencies department.

Rescue masks, which protect people as they are taken through smoke-filled spaces, were used for 11 residents. They included a seven-year-old child. Another 73 people were evacuated separately from those rescued.

The response involved 46 emergencies personnel and 13 vehicles. The department preliminarily linked the fire to a malfunction in the electrical network or electrical equipment.

Kurgan's administration identified the building as No. 62a. A temporary accommodation centre was opened at School No. 45, but residents chose to stay with relatives.

The city authorities later reported that electricity had been restored and residents were returning to their apartments. The occupants of the damaged apartment were informed that they could apply for a one-off financial assistance payment. The cause remains under investigation.