Heavy fires destroy houses in Amur region, man killed
Heavy fires have swept the Amur region. A total of 235 people have been left homeless after the fires destroyed 79 houses. A disabled man died in the fire, the Head Department of the Ministry for Emergency Situations in charge of the Amur region told Itar-Tass on Monday.
The settlement of Yekaterinoslavka that caught fire on Sunday afternoon was the worst hit by the flames. Strong winds reaching 30 meters per second instantaneously carried the flames from one house to another. Thirty-five houses have been reduced to rubble in the settlement; a total of 124 people lost their homes. A disabled man who could not escape from his house, died in the fire.
Devastating fires have been reported in the settlements of Borisovo, Varvarovka, Mukhinskoye and other settlements. In Yekaterinoslavka the fire victims were temporarily accommodated in a gym of a local technical school and in other houses. Hot meals have been served to the victims. Experts of the Head Department for Emergency Situations and a group of psychologists have been giving assistance to the local population, many of whom have suffered a shock.
A regional commission for emergencies met on Monday morning to discuss emergency measures of assistance to the people and further efforts to prevent the spread of fires. A state of emergency has been declared in seven districts of the Amur region worst hit by the fires.
Heavy fires have swept the Amur region. A total of 235 people have been left homeless after the fires destroyed 79 houses. A disabled man died in the fire, the Head Department of the Ministry for Emergency Situations in charge of the Amur region told Itar-Tass on Monday.
