By: Kyle James | 03-26-2018 | News
Photo credit: sashulya_rollan | Instagram

Russian Mall Inferno - Death Toll Jumps To 48

The death toll continues to rise as high as 48 while emergency personnel work to uncover survivors from the rubble of the burned down shopping mall in the Siberian coal-mining town of Kemerovo, Russia. The fire began on an upper floor of the Winter Cherry complex prompting some to jump from windows of the burning building.

Related coverage: <a href="http://thegoldwater.com/news/21455-Breaking-Warning-Shock-Video-4-Dead-Many-Jump-Out-Of-Burning-Russian-Shopping-Centre">Breaking - Warning Shock Video - 4 Dead, Many Jump Out Of Burning Russian Shopping Centre</a>

Video of the tragic blaze was captured on social media showing people jumping from windows to escape the fire. Authorities say 660 emergency personnel are assisting in the rescue efforts as 16 people are still missing. Some estimates say there could be 41 children among the victims.

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Просто ад <a href="https://t.co/AHoSSluBbL">pic.twitter.com/AHoSSluBbL</a></p>&mdash; Dasha (@DashaOy) <a href="https://twitter.com/DashaOy/status/977861048001851393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2018</a></blockquote>

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The shopping mall opened in 2013 in Kemerovo, a key coal-producing town about 2,200 miles east of Moscow. It housed a multiplex cinema, a shopping mall, restaurants, a sauna, a bowling alley and even a petting zoo. While it has not been confirmed by Russian authorities, some say the source of the fire may have been a children's playground where a trampoline caught fire after a child was playing with a lighter.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgwduVcADf5/" data-instgrm-version="8" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgwduVcADf5/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">regram @lanalo_1 Repost from @kuzbass_news @TopRankRepost #TopRankRepost Внутри горящего торгового центра в одном из туалетов на втором этаже спрятались несколько человек. Они заложили щели в дверях мокрыми полотенцами. Люди звонят в МЧС и просят их спасти. ⠀ Сколько их там всего, а также сколько они смогут еще продержаться, неизвестно. Пожарные пытаются пройти к ним через дым. ⠀ Фото: Родственники не могут их найти, если вы что-то видели звоните на телефон горячей линии: 8(3842)58-23-33 #кемерово #кузбасс #зимняявишня</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/oksanakistarova/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> oksanakistarova</a> on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2018-03-25T19:04:08+00:00">Mar 25, 2018 at 12:04pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Witnesses described panic in the moments following the blaze which quickly spread as no fire alarms or loudspeakers warned anyone. The fire started Sunday afternoon and was not extinguished for 12 hours after burning 1,600 square meters. Reports say almost an entire class of primary school children may have died in the blaze while visiting the city on a field trip.

Victims of the blaze contacted friends and family through social media, one message left by a 13-year-old girl said, "We are on fire. Possibly, farewell." Another victim said, "We went to the mall, but it did not go well. We were forced to leave because of the fire. The third floor, where the cinema is, is completely dark, full of smoke, people are panicking, children are crying."

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The same victim was able to get her son to safety outside of the mall but said when her husband went back in he witnessed chaotic scenes on the third floor where children were still trapped in the cinema, unable to escape due to the thick smoke. One video shows a victim jumping from a window several stories up to escape the fire and landing on an outcropping.

Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Sunday, "The president was informed about the tragedy in the Kemerovo region. Vladimir Putin extends his sincere condolences to the families of those who died in the fire and wishes the soonest recovery to all those hurt."

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Source: https://www.rt.com/news/422289-children-missing-kemerovo-mall-blaze/

Twitter: #Russia #Fire #ShoppingMall #ShoppingCenter #Putin #Kemerovo

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