MOSCOW — A fire swept quickly through a psychiatric hospital outside Moscow overnight killing at least 38 people, most of whom in their beds, officials said Friday.
Health Ministry officials said that the one-story hospital housed patients with severe mental disorders. Vadim Belovoshin from the emergency situations ministry official told the Itar-TASS news agency that the windows in the hospital were barred but said there were two fire escapes.
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Officials from the Russian Investigative Committee said they are looking at poor fire regulations and short circuit as possible causes for the hospital fire in the Ramenskoye settlement in the early hours of Friday.
By early Friday morning, investigators listed 38 people — 36 patients and two doctors — as dead. Only one nurse and two patients managed to escape, according to the health ministry. The emergency services also posted a list of the patients indicating they ranged in age from 20 to 76.
Belovoshin also said that it took fire fighters an hour to get to the hospital following an emergency call because a local ferry across the canal was closed and the fire fighters had to make a detour.
Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyev told Russian state-television that the fire alarm seems to have worked but the fire spread too quickly. Belovoshin said the fire first broke in a wooden annex.
A spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee told Russia news agencies that most of the people died in their beds and did not even try to escape.
Deadly fires are common in Russia because of wide-spread violations of fire safety rules.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Health Ministry officials said that the one-story hospital housed patients with severe mental disorders. Vadim Belovoshin from the emergency situations ministry official told the Itar-TASS news agency that the windows in the hospital were barred but said there were two fire escapes.
ANZAC Day, Midwest flooding, Boston Marathon victims cope with injuries, memorial for slain MIT officer and more.
Latest stories from Foreign
Sinan Salaheddin Prime minister appeals for calm following three days of violence that has left 150 dead nationwide.
William Booth Israel says they tracked drone flying south from Lebanon for an hour before they shot it down.
Justin Salhani After two years of conflict, supporters of the Syrian president long for the security and stability he provided.
Kathy Lally Mother of suspected bombers says she can’t believe they did it; denies her elder son was a terror threat.
Roula Khalaf and Abigail Fielding-Smith | Financial Times
The movement, crushed under Assad’s father, hopes to promote moderate Islamist thinking.
Officials from the Russian Investigative Committee said they are looking at poor fire regulations and short circuit as possible causes for the hospital fire in the Ramenskoye settlement in the early hours of Friday.
By early Friday morning, investigators listed 38 people — 36 patients and two doctors — as dead. Only one nurse and two patients managed to escape, according to the health ministry. The emergency services also posted a list of the patients indicating they ranged in age from 20 to 76.
Belovoshin also said that it took fire fighters an hour to get to the hospital following an emergency call because a local ferry across the canal was closed and the fire fighters had to make a detour.
Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyev told Russian state-television that the fire alarm seems to have worked but the fire spread too quickly. Belovoshin said the fire first broke in a wooden annex.
A spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee told Russia news agencies that most of the people died in their beds and did not even try to escape.
Deadly fires are common in Russia because of wide-spread violations of fire safety rules.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.