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| Moscow drug clinic fire kills 45 | Moscow drug clinic fire kills 45 |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A fire at a Moscow hospital for drug addicts has killed 45 women and at least eight more suffered carbon monoxide poisoning or other injuries. | A fire at a Moscow hospital for drug addicts has killed 45 women and at least eight more suffered carbon monoxide poisoning or other injuries. |
| Officials say they are "90% certain" arson caused the overnight fire at Hospital 17 in the city's south-west. | Officials say they are "90% certain" arson caused the overnight fire at Hospital 17 in the city's south-west. |
| All appear to have died of smoke asphyxiation before rescuers arrived. | All appear to have died of smoke asphyxiation before rescuers arrived. |
| They were trapped between fire at one end of their second-floor corridor and a locked metal grille barring stairs at the other end, an official said. | They were trapped between fire at one end of their second-floor corridor and a locked metal grille barring stairs at the other end, an official said. |
| The Moscow fire was followed on Saturday by a second lethal fire, in a hospital in the Siberian town of Taiga. | |
| Eight people died at the hospital, also for drug addicts, in the province of Kemerovo. | |
| Safety concerns | |
| Windows in the five-storey Moscow hospital building were barred and fire safety concerns had been raised before. | |
| Judging by the placement of the bodies, they really tried to get out Alexander Chupriyandeputy Russian emergencies minister In pictures: Moscow clinic fire | Judging by the placement of the bodies, they really tried to get out Alexander Chupriyandeputy Russian emergencies minister In pictures: Moscow clinic fire |
| The fire, which broke out about 0140 (2240 GMT) in a kitchen, was relatively small but there was very heavy smoke, possibly from burning plastic wall coverings, Russian media report. | The fire, which broke out about 0140 (2240 GMT) in a kitchen, was relatively small but there was very heavy smoke, possibly from burning plastic wall coverings, Russian media report. |
| "Everyone who died in this fire, was dead before the first fire engines arrived," said Deputy Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan. | "Everyone who died in this fire, was dead before the first fire engines arrived," said Deputy Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan. |
| He added that crews had responded to an emergency call in just four minutes, evacuating the hospital which had a total of 177 patients and 15 staff at the time of the fire. | He added that crews had responded to an emergency call in just four minutes, evacuating the hospital which had a total of 177 patients and 15 staff at the time of the fire. |
| In daylight, relatives and friends of the dead women, who included patients infected with Aids/HIV, could be seen weeping outside the building on Bolotnikovskaya Street. | In daylight, relatives and friends of the dead women, who included patients infected with Aids/HIV, could be seen weeping outside the building on Bolotnikovskaya Street. |
| 'Slow reaction' | 'Slow reaction' |
| As an investigation was launched, a spokesman for the Moscow fire brigade accused hospital staff of being slow to raise the alarm. | As an investigation was launched, a spokesman for the Moscow fire brigade accused hospital staff of being slow to raise the alarm. |
| Fire safety officers had called for the hospital's closure | Fire safety officers had called for the hospital's closure |
| "[They] worked very badly - they did not take steps to evacuate people in the early stages of the fire," Yevgeny Bobylyov was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. | "[They] worked very badly - they did not take steps to evacuate people in the early stages of the fire," Yevgeny Bobylyov was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. |
| However there were suggestions that staff had been overcome so rapidly by smoke that they had been incapable of taking action. | However there were suggestions that staff had been overcome so rapidly by smoke that they had been incapable of taking action. |
| Televised footage shows scorched, peeling corridor walls inside the building and beds and personal effects covered in black ash in a room which looked otherwise undamaged. | Televised footage shows scorched, peeling corridor walls inside the building and beds and personal effects covered in black ash in a room which looked otherwise undamaged. |
| "The fire was relatively small," one rescue official told Itar-Tass news agency. | "The fire was relatively small," one rescue official told Itar-Tass news agency. |
| "But there was very thick smoke, and people got poisoned by smoke in their sleep." | "But there was very thick smoke, and people got poisoned by smoke in their sleep." |
| Mr Chupriyan said there was evidence of a desperate struggle by patients to escape: | Mr Chupriyan said there was evidence of a desperate struggle by patients to escape: |
| "Judging by the placement of the bodies, they really tried to get out." | "Judging by the placement of the bodies, they really tried to get out." |
| Andrei Kotov, a male patient on the 4th floor, said no fire alarm had been sounded and staff had come in to wake people in his ward. | Andrei Kotov, a male patient on the 4th floor, said no fire alarm had been sounded and staff had come in to wake people in his ward. |
| Speaking to Interfax news agency, he said he could hear cries for help from the second floor "but evidently nobody did go to the aid of those women". | Speaking to Interfax news agency, he said he could hear cries for help from the second floor "but evidently nobody did go to the aid of those women". |
| Safety concerns | Safety concerns |
| Fire safety officers visited the hospital in February and March and called for its temporary closure after their second visit, said Russia's chief fire inspector, Yuri Nenashev. | Fire safety officers visited the hospital in February and March and called for its temporary closure after their second visit, said Russia's chief fire inspector, Yuri Nenashev. |
| "Unfortunately this decision was not adopted," he added. | "Unfortunately this decision was not adopted," he added. |
| Irina Andrianova, a spokeswoman for the emergencies ministry, said the design of the building was "very particular" because it was used to treat drug addicts. | Irina Andrianova, a spokeswoman for the emergencies ministry, said the design of the building was "very particular" because it was used to treat drug addicts. |
| Mr Nenashev said the fire had begun on a wooden shelf, which led him to suspect arson or "extremely careless handling of flammable materials". | Mr Nenashev said the fire had begun on a wooden shelf, which led him to suspect arson or "extremely careless handling of flammable materials". |
| Russia records about 18,000 fire deaths a year, AP reports - 10 times more than in the US. | Russia records about 18,000 fire deaths a year, AP reports - 10 times more than in the US. |
| Last December seven people died in a fire at an institute for the mentally ill near Moscow. | Last December seven people died in a fire at an institute for the mentally ill near Moscow. |
| And in 2003, 36 students died and some 170 were hurt at a hostel for foreign students. | And in 2003, 36 students died and some 170 were hurt at a hostel for foreign students. |
Have you been affected by the fire? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Have you been affected by the fire? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |
| You can send pictures or moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100 | You can send pictures or moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100 |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |