Russian President Vladimir Putin who arrived in Kemerovo where more than 60 people were killed in fire at Winter Cherry shopping mall held a meeting with Emergency Minister Vladimir Puchkov, Healthcare Minister Veronika Skvortsova and the head of the Investigation Committee Alexander Bastrykin saying it was criminal negligence and delinquency of officials that caused fire.
“What is going on? These are not military actions, not a sudden methane explosion at a coal mine. People went there to entertain, children… We are talking about demography and losing so many people, why? Because of the criminal negligence and delinquency,” Putin is quoted as saying by the Kremlin press office.
Putin arrived in Kemerovo on March 27. He put a bunch of roses to a spontaneous memorial near the shopping center. He extended condolences to families of the victims.
The fire started at the third floor of the Winter Cherry shopping mall at 04:00pm on March 25. Under most recent official reports, 64 people were killed, 53 turned to hospitals for medical assistance.