The fire broke out early Friday at the Mega Himki shopping center, about 20 kilometers northwest of central Moscow. At least one person died.
The Mega Himki shopping center caught fire on Friday morning in the city of Himki in the Moscow region of Russia, the Russian Ministry of Emergencies informs.
By noon on Friday, the fire had been extinguished, the director of emergency services for the Moscow region Sergei Polety too said according to news agency AFP.
– The fire department is extinguishing a fire in the Moscow region in an area of 7,000 square meters, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said about the extent of the fire on Friday morning.
Part of the shopping center collapsed as a result of the fire, and due to the collapse of the roof, the fire was able to spread widely, rescue officials said.
According to information from the Russian news agency Interfax, a security guard working at the shopping center died in the fire.
The exact cause of the fire is not yet known.
According to the Russian news agency Tassi, the fire was caused by an explosion in the shopping center’s Obi store. According to Tassi, the fire would have been caused by welding work done in the shop, where safety regulations were not followed.
The Russian authorities have said that they also suspect the possibility of arson.
The city of Khimki is located about 20 kilometers northwest of the center of Moscow.
The news was updated on December 9, 2022 at 11:46 a.m. with information about extinguishing the fire.