Russia shopping centre owner arrested over deaths in fire VIDEO

A court has ordered the arrest of the owner of a shopping centre in Sterlitamak, Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan, where four people died in a fire.

During the fire, which happened on the afternoon of September 22, nine people were injured, Caliber.Az reports.

Seventeen people, including one child, were evacuated.

A total of 47 firefighters and 16 pieces of equipment were involved in extinguishing the blaze.

Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case. The exact cause of the fire is being established.

According to eyewitnesses, firefighters joined the rescue operation too late, while the automatic fire alarm was activated, but the alert was not transmitted to the fire brigade’s control panel.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov