2003 Peoples' Friendship University of Russia fire

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2003 Peoples' Friendship University of Russia fire
DateNovember 24, 2003
Timeabout 2:30 a.m.
LocationMoscow, Russia
Deaths44
Non-fatal injuries182

The 2003 Peoples' Friendship University of Russia fire occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on November 24, in a hostel that stood among other dormitories on the campus of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia in Moscow.

Fire[]

It was reported that one exit was blocked and too many people were crammed into tiny rooms. A press secretary for the Mayor of Moscow claimed that firemen had trouble reaching the source of the blaze as hallways and rooms were blocked with bags and boxes of belongings.[1] Evacuated students told reporters that dozens of fire engines were jammed into a narrow access road blocked by parked cars, causing them to reach the fire late.[2] The blaze was extinguished some three hours after the first reports of a fire.[3]

An evacuated student recalled being awoken to cries of "Fire, fire!" so they ran outside, and witnessed other residents jumping from windows, with dead and injured students laying in the snow.[1] Three bodies were found outside, some died in hospital and another 170 were hospitalized.[4]

Casualties[]

44 people died in the fire.[5] The victims were from various countries such as China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Angola, Ivory Coast, Tahiti, Morocco, Kazakhstan, the Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Peru, Lesotho, Mexico, Malaysia, Mongolia, India, Nigeria, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, and Palestinian citizens.[4]

Cause[]

Education minister Vladimir Mikhailovich Filippov told reporters there were two possible causes of the tragedy, "arson or careless use of electrical appliances".[6] African and Asian students seemed to back the belief of arson, and placed blame on the incident on far-right groups which had threatened before to raze the dormitories.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Blaze at Russian foreign student hostel kills 36". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  2. ^ Tribune, Chicago. "36 killed in fire at Moscow dormitory". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  3. ^ Gunaratne, Ruwanthi Herat. "Moscow's Student Tragedy". www.sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
  4. ^ a b "BBC NEWS – Europe – Foreigners perish in Moscow blaze". 24 November 2003. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  5. ^ Krainova, Natalya (2011-10-13). "Students Want Medvedev to See Dorms". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  6. ^ Parfitt, Tom (2003-11-25). "36 die, 140 injured in Moscow student hostel fire". The Guardian. Retrieved 2022-02-05.

External links[]

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