Russia detains two after huge fire guts St Petersburg building
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Flames and smoke rising from the Nevskaya Manufaktura factory in St Petersburg, Russia, on Monday. The huge fire destroyed the cultural heritage site.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ST PETERSBURG • Russia yesterday detained two people after a huge fire gutted a historic factory in St Petersburg, where firefighters are still working to put out the blaze.
The fire broke out on Monday over several floors of the red-brick Nevskaya Manufaktura building in Russia's second city. The inferno killed one firefighter and left two more hospitalised with serious burns.
The fire continued burning yesterday over an area of 500 sq m, the Emergencies Ministry said, adding that nearly 40 firefighters were involved in extinguishing the blaze and clearing the debris.
The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it has launched a criminal probe into a death caused by negligence and added that law enforcement had detained the general director of Nevskaya Manufaktura and his deputy.
Investigators cited a "number of violations" regarding fire safety and said management "knew for a fact" that the premises could not be operated.
They estimated the total area of the blaze at 4,000 sq m, causing a large part of the building's roof to collapse, while flames from the fire had spread to nearby trees.
Listed by the St Petersburg city government as a cultural heritage site, the building was home to one of Russia's largest textile companies in the 19th century.
The factory was nationalised and run as a state entity during the Soviet period, then privatised in 1992.
In recent years, parts of the building continued to operate manufacturing cloth, while other areas were rented out as office space and some areas had been abandoned.
Fires are relatively common in Russia due to dilapidated infrastructure or non-compliance with safety standards.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
