“Flare gun fire” caused a large blaze at a cafe in Russia, killing 15 people and injuring five more, according to local authorities. The fire …
“Flare gun fire” caused a large blaze at a cafe in Russia, killing 15 people and injuring five more, according to local authorities.
The fire broke out in the city of Kostroma in the early hours of Saturday morning, after someone reportedly discharged a flare during an argument at the ‘Poligon’ cafe.
Rescuers evacuated 250 people from the building.
Governor of the Kostroma region, Sergei Sitnikov, said five people were slightly injured and received medical assistance.
The roof of the cafe collapsed during the blaze, which emergency services said spread over an area of 3,500 m2.
It was put out early Saturday morning.
A criminal investigation has been launched, and Russian police are searching for the person who used the flare gun, a signalling device typically used in emergency situations.
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.
