Investigators have so far confirmed discovering the bodies of eight victims in the aftermath of the fire, which destroyed or damaged 3,000 square meters of a building on Stromynka Street in the city’s eastern Sokolniki district. A sewing shop was located at the epicenter of the fire.
A criminal case was launched after emergency workers, who had contained the fire by 1 am Sunday Moscow time (22 pm Saturday GMT), began to find the victims.
The case has been launched under an article on “deliberate destruction or damage to property entailing human death and other grave consequences” in the Russian Criminal Code, Investigative Committee spokesman Yulia Ivanova told reporters. Earlier, investigators had said they launched a case seeking murder charges.
Meanwhile, a law enforcement source told TASS that the nine victims were all of “non-Slavic appearance.” The identities of the dead are still unknown at this point, but are being established.
Several sources of fire have been found at the site, leading the investigators to suspect the building might have been set on fire deliberately to conceal a crime, a police source told TASS.
He added that it was not immediately clear if the deaths were caused by the fire or by criminal actions prior to it. This is now being determined by forensic experts.
Earlier media reports suggested that there were people trapped inside by the blaze.
9 bodies found at Moscow"s burning factory, murder & arson suspected "" reports
31 January 2016
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Rescuers found nine bodies in a burning factory in eastern Moscow, an emergency source told RIA Novosti. Police are investigating to determine the causes of death and if arson was involved. Sources suggest the massive blaze may have been a cover-up.
