Four Cuban citizens died this Tuesday in the fire of a house where they were living in Balashija, in the Moscow region.
“A shelter caught fire in the Zvorkino neighborhood of Balashikha. During the extinguishing efforts, four bodies were found. Six more people are injured,” declared the emergency services quoted by TASS. Among them is a minor, 15 years old, who was admitted for smoke poisoning.
After identifying the bodies, investigators assured that all of the deceased were Cuban nationals, two men and two women. According to the local press, at least one 17-year-old Cuban minor is among the survivors.
“An investigation is underway to determine why they were there,” a source told the agency.
Authorities believe the hostel, 15 kilometers east of the Russian capital, could be illegal, as the tenants did not have a rental contract.
/ General Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia
“The owner of the house resides in London. It is currently being determined how the victims of the fire got to the house, since they did not have a lease contract. In addition, the electricity supply was there,” they explained from emergencies.
The Russian press indicates that the deceased were workers who had emigrated from the Island and that due to the lack of electricity and the low temperatures these days, they tried to keep warm with a fire that got out of control.
Police authorities have opened a criminal case and believe that there were 21 people in the building at the time of the fire.
The fire, which covered an area of 35 square meters and which has already been extinguished, originated on the second of the three floors of the building and that was where the deceased were found.
The local press states that today information is available on the Internet to rent the house, which has 17 rooms in which 2, 4 and 8 people could live. The cost of a bed per day was 600 rubles (just under $8), while the entire room was rented from 1,200 rubles (almost $16).
The fire started around 04:40 (Moscow time) and was extinguished at 05:53.
