At Least 7 Construction Workers Killed In Living Quarters Fire In Crimea - Governor

SIMFEROPOL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2023) At least 7 people have died from a fire in barracks for road construction workers in a village near the city of Sevastopol in Crimea, Crimean Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Thursday.

The fire started in cabins for road construction workers in the village of Sakharnaya Golovka overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, affecting an area of about 200 square meters (2,150 square feet). As many as 185 workers were inside the complex when the blast occurred, according to local emergency services.

"Tonight a fire occurred in a living construction module on the Tavrida Highway. Rescue teams immediately arrived at the site, with the fire neutralized by morning.

According to preliminary data, seven employees, who came to work in highway construction from different regions of the country, died," Razvozhayev said on Telegram.

The Crimean governor added that two more people had been hospitalized. They are currently in a stable condition. Medical workers are providing them "with all the necessary assistance."

Meanwhile, the city's deputy governor, Aleksander Kulagin, reported a further eight people were potentially killed in the fire, saying they were not getting in touch.

The authorities have initiated a criminal case into the incident, Razvozhayev said. The investigation into the blast is underway, with the rescue operation still ongoing.