Over 13,000 fires recorded in Russia in 2024, killing nearly 1,500 people - Emergency Situations Ministry

MOSCOW. Feb 14 (Interfax) - Over 13,000 fires have killed around 1,500 people in Russia in 2024, Emergency Situations Ministry spokesperson Roman Okhotenko said.

"Over 13,000 fires have occurred. This is 2,000 fires fewer than in the same period last year, and yet, unfortunately, over 1,400 people, including more than 60 children, have died," Okhotenko said on the Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) television channel on Wednesday.

The number of children dying in fires has been rising, he said.

"Instances of parents leaving children unattended have been recorded more and more often. A fire in such situations could be caused by children's misbehavior or defective electric wiring or electric heating devices," he said.