MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A criminal investigation has been opened in connection with the warehouse fire that erupted in the east of the Russian capital on Thursday, spokeswoman of the Moscow Department of the Russian Investigative Committee said.
"Investigators are considering different scenarios for the fire, such as household, technical and other," Yulia Ivanova told RIA Novosti in the early hours of Friday.
An emergency service source told RIA Novosti on Thursday that a total of five firefighters could have died while extinguishing a fire that erupted after a warehouse roof collapse in Moscow’s east.
According to the Moscow branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, contact has been lost with eight firefighters who were battling the fire.
Firefighting efforts continue at the warehouse where the roof is still burning, according to a RIA Novosti correspondent.
At least 160 personnel and over 40 units of equipment are deployed at the scene.
