Rescuers extinguished a fire in a private home for the elderly in Kharkiv.
This was reported in the press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
"At 16:14 p.m., the fire was localized on an area of 100 square meters. At 16:53 — liquidated. The bodies of 15 people were found at the scene of the fire. 9 people were saved - they were hospitalized," the message says.
In addition, the nursing home operated illegally. He writes about it "Country.ua" with reference to acting Mayor of Kharkiv Igor Terekhov.
"The so-called nursing home was also located in the building where the fire broke out today, and a rehabilitation center was operating illegally. The so-called drug shelter, where they provide services to people suffering from drug addiction. There are also people there. I say "the so-called nursing home", because I can't say that this is a nursing home - not a single norm is observed here. Bars on the windows. People were unable to walk, and they literally suffocated during the fire. This "nursing home" was operating illegally, I can say absolutely definitely. I looked at the certificate of ownership of this object. He is illegal and illegal, that's for sure. The owner of this establishment is already being investigated," Terekhov said.
In addition, as the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office informs, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case in connection with the fire.
"The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office has initiated criminal proceedings on the fact of violation of fire safety requirements established by the legislation, which resulted in the death of people (Part 2 of Article 270 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)," the message says.
The sanction of this article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of three to eight years.
The preliminary cause of the fire was also named as careless handling of electric heating devices.
In addition, as the publication writes Kharkiv Today according to residents who live not far from the scene, the fire started around 15:00 p.m.
"We rushed to help, we saw crazy smoke. They called the ambulance, but they refused to come. What could we do? Old people have been living here for about an hour, they could hear the smell of wiring," neighbor Svetlana Igorevna said on the spot.
Also, local residents said that earlier this house was rented by representatives of the Baptist religious community. In addition, the building was used as an illegal pornographic studio for some time.
Let's note that the tragedy President Volodymyr Zelensky commented, who instructed the government to investigate what happened. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has already announced that convenes an emergency meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
