A massive fire has engulfed a business centre in western Moscow with fears that many people could still be trapped inside.
After Russian emergency officials engaged 180 firefighters, at least two people have reportedly been rushed to hospital, while 120 others have, so far, been rescued from the building, as reported by AP.
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Dozens of vehicles and three helicopters have been summoned to help combat the fire as crews are trying their best to help the remaining people escape.
As many as 40 people were feared trapped, while some victims had reportedly climbed onto the roof of the tenth floor of the Grand Setun Plaza building in Kuntsevo district, nine miles west of the Kremlin.
Nearly 200 firefighters were desperately seeking to save the lives of the trapped people inside the award-winning glass and concrete structure.
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Estimates of the number caught inside the burning building were put at between 20 and 40.
The cause of the fire remains unknown as Russia’s newly appointed emergencies minister, Alexander Kurenkov, went to overlook the site.
“The search for people continues,” he said.
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A Ка-32 helicopter was also deployed to the scene.
Russian news reports have suggested that the cause of the fire could have been due to a short circuit, although, this is yet to be confirmed.
It is the latest in an unusual spate of Russian fires, some regarded as arson possibly related to the war with Ukraine, but the cause of this incident was not immediately clear.
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With regards to the ongoing war, President Zelensky said this week that 60 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers are dying in combat every day, with about 500 more wounded.
Russia’s last publicly released figures for its own forces came on March 25, when a general told state media that 1,351 soldiers had been killed and 3,825 wounded.
Zelensky said on Thursday that Ukraine and western observers say the real number is much higher, claiming that more than 30,000 Russian servicemen have died, while the British Government has estimated Russian losses at 15,000.
A western official has also said that Russia is 'still taking casualties, but … in smaller numbers'.
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The official estimated that some 40,000 Russian troops have been wounded.
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Topics: Russia
Anish Vij