The Tajik Embassy in Moscow says reports released by some Russian media outlets that all eight victims of a fire that broke out at a greenhouse in the Ramensky district of the Moscow oblast yesterday morning are Tajiks do not correspond to the facts.
Tajik Embassy’s press center says that Embassy’s representatives sent to the scene of the fire determined that all of those killed in the blaze were Vietnamese. .
Initial Russian media reports on January 7 quoted officials from the Emergency Situations Ministry as saying the victims were from Tajikistan.
Russia media reports say the fire killed eight people and injured one. All eight victims — seven men and one woman — were reportedly illegal migrants from Vietnam who worked at the farm.
The fire broke out in one of the metal construction trailers where workers lived. Local firefighters reportedly battled the blaze for an hour.
According to the preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by electrical malfunction and criminal proceedings have been instituted under the provisions of Article 109 (3) of Russia’s Penal Code – negligent infliction of death upon two and more persons.
The number of deadly fires traditionally grows in Russia during the New Year holidays on the first week of January. The country's emergency management agency usually attributes the trend to elaborate celebrations that often include use of fireworks and an increase in alcohol consumption.
