Weekly Summary: Two Dead, Six Rescued

During the week of July 13 to 19, the fire and rescue services of Udmurtia responded to 33 reports of fires. Firefighters rescued six people, but two people died — both men, and the preliminary cause of their deaths is said to be careless smoking.

Preliminary causes of the fires include: 11 cases due to careless handling of fire (including three due to smoking), eight due to violations of electrical equipment operation rules, three due to vehicle malfunctions, two due to lightning strikes, two due to improper installation of chimneys and stove operation, one due to a malfunctioning lightning arrester, and one due to spontaneous combustion of materials. The cause of five fires has not yet been determined.

One tragic incident occurred on July 14 around 2:00 a.m. in Sarapul (a city in Udmurtia). A fire broke out in an apartment building with a corridor layout. Rescuers evacuated six people and also rescued four adults and a one-year-old child. Despite this, a 32-year-old man died. The preliminary cause is careless smoking.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) reminds: if it is impossible to quit smoking, smoking should only be done in a specially equipped area with a non-combustible ashtray, under no circumstances in bed, and especially not while intoxicated. It is forbidden to throw smoldering cigarette butts into garbage buckets, dry grass, or from a balcony. It is recommended to install a smoke detector at home — it can wake you up and save your life.