The Russian Investigative Committee has confirmed the death of 53 in a fire that erupted the day before in a shopping mall in Russia’s city of Kemerovo.
“Thus, at the moment the death of 53 people has been confirmed,” Svetlana Petrenko said.
The confirmation comes, after a source in emergencies services told Sputnik earlier in the day that the blaze claimed lives of 53 people. At the same time, crisis management spokespersons reported earlier on Monday that over 40 children had been missing in the disaster.
The fire broke out in the ‘Winter Cherry’ shopping mall in the Russian city of Kemerovo on Sunday. Though there is no official information on the cause of the fire, there are reports that it could have been caused by a child, who was misusing a lighter or malfunctioning electrical wires.
READ MORE: Dozens Dead in Russian Shopping Center Fire, Witnesses Share Shocking Stories
Meanwhile, spokesperson of Russian Investigative Committee reported that three people including the head of the managing company, which has been servicing the trade center, were in custody amid investigation into the tragedy.
