One dead after a huge fire in a Russian shopping center

Russian firefighters are battling a huge fire in a shopping center in Moscow. 1 person died.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that the large fire in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow, started around 6 a.m. on Friday.

7,000 square meters of the Mega Khimki shopping center was affected, and one person died, according to Russian news agencies RIA and TASS.

Moscow police confirm that he was a shopping center employee.

According to emergency services, the cause of the fire must have been equipment malfunction and a breach of fire safety rules on the job, the RIA wrote. The police launched an investigation into the fire.

Fire work is complicated by the building’s design, Russia’s Ministry of Crisis Situations reports. Too much oxygen quickly spread the fire over a large area, and the roof of the center collapsed.

More than 70 firefighting crews are working at the scene. Authorities stated that at 8.40 Norwegian time, the emergency services managed to bring the fire under control.

Videos on social media show flames and smoke billowing from the mall, and people fleeing the building into a parking lot outside.

Emergency services were notified, among other things, that gas bottles and paint cans had begun to explode, the RIA wrote.

Mega Khimki is a large shopping and entertainment center, approximately seven kilometers from Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow.

Traffic in the area was partially affected, and traffic jams appeared on highways.