Kindergartner Dies in Kuzbass Fire While Mother Shopped

A fire in Topki (Kemerovo Oblast) claimed the life of a five-year-old boy who was alone in a private house on Chekhov Street at the time of the blaze. Preliminary information indicates that the flames and smoke spread from improperly used electrical appliances, the press service of the Kuzbass Emergency Situations Ministry (MChS) reported to NGS42.RU on Tuesday, February 3.

A report of a fire in a private residential area reached rescuers at 17:17 on February 2. Within four minutes, emergency personnel were at the house, with smoke billowing from under the roof. By that time, outbuildings and a veranda were also on fire.

In one of the rooms, rescuers found the body of the child on a bed; preliminary, he had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

By 17:33 the fire was contained. The flames, which had engulfed clothing and furniture in the kitchen, were extinguished by 12 personnel and four pieces of equipment; rescuers finished their work by 18:43.

The fire spread over six square meters. Preliminary, the incident was caused by a violation of electrical equipment operation.

The press service of the regional prosecutor«s office reported that a criminal case has been opened for negligent homicide, and it has been placed under supervision.

According to law enforcement, the kindergartner was alone in the house during the fire — his mother had gone to the store. When the woman returned and saw smoke, she ran inside but did not find her son. Outside, she called rescuers; she was hospitalized.

On Tuesday, February 3, in Prokopyevsk, four of the five teenagers who died in a burned sauna were buried. Hundreds of people came to say goodbye to the school and college students who were unable to escape the building where they were celebrating a birthday.

We are collecting all the most important information about the incident, the criminal case, and the illegal bathhouse in a special report.