"The fire spreads intensively": as a result of fires in Transbaikalia, hundreds of people lost their homes

In Transbaikalia, 27 people were injured as a result of fires. This was announced by the Acting Minister of Health of the region, Alexander Miromanov. According to the Ministry of Health, two of them are in serious condition, six more are in a state of moderate severity, the rest received minor injuries.

“Now patients of moderate severity and severe have been delivered to the burn center, where they will further receive specialized assistance,” RIA Novosti quotes Miromanova.

Thus, the eight victims of the Mi-8 helicopters of the regional Disaster Medicine Center were transported to Chita.

Recall, on April 19 in the Transbaikal Territory declared an emergency mode because of the steppe fires. Already a week in the region is windy.

“Fire extinguishing is complicated because of the high temperature - up to 20 degrees - and gusty winds of up to 28 m / s from Mongolia, where a sandstorm is raging,” TASS leads the press service of the Emergencies Ministry.

Rescuers added that two Be-200ES aircrafts, two helicopters and a fire train with water left for the region.

17 settlements affected

In total, more than 400 people suffered from fires, at least 300 people lost their property. About 99 houses in 17 settlements of the Trans-Baikal Territory burned down.

“In the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Trans-Baikal Territory, during the day, work was done on drawing up lists of victims of fires. As of 17:00 (12:00 Moscow time. - RT ), as a result of the transition of fire to settlements, over 400 people are considered victims. These lists are constantly being updated, "- said in a statement by the Ministry of Social Protection of Transbaikalia.

Power lines were also damaged. According to Chitaenergo, the fire damaged about 15 power transmission towers.

“15 towers of overhead transmission lines (VL) of 10 kV voltage were damaged, 155 supports of VL of 0.4 kV voltage. At the moment, the power engineers are working on replacing burnt and damaged supports, ”the press service of Chitaenergo said.

Later in the power company reported that the power supply was restored.

In addition to settlements and infrastructure facilities, the natural reserve “Valley of Dzerens” in the south of Transbaikalia suffered. Several thousand hectares were destroyed by fire, said the leading researcher of the reserve, Honored Ecologist of the Russian Federation Vadim Kirilyuk.

“The main part of the reserve is intact, the cordons are intact, but the results are not yet clear. Thousands of four to five hectares of steppes in the reserve burnt down exactly, in the reserve - tens of thousands of hectares. The team, who is not on fire, collects things for the fire victims. For 30 years of existence of the reserve this has never happened before, ”he wrote on Facebook.

Kirilyuk also told his feelings from the fire.

“You are standing in complete obscurity, you don’t see the fire and you don’t know where it will go. First, it covers all the smoke, covers the haze. It comes a front many kilometers wide. Closes the sun, visibility is reduced to several tens of meters. The wind gushes across the face with sand and ashes, it becomes difficult to breathe, ”he noted.

Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev ordered to assist the victims.

“He noted that the Russian government will provide all the necessary support to people who have lost their homes. In addition, the Prime Minister ordered, if necessary, to deliver the victims of the fires for treatment to the federal medical centers, ”said his spokesman Oleg Osipov.

The regional Ministry of Social Security reported that they would pay the victims one-time financial assistance in the amount of 10 thousand rubles.

“We are actively working to ensure that in the coming days, people will receive payments of one-time financial assistance in the amount of 10 thousand rubles,” the press service quoted the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, Aiagma Vanchikov, in his words.

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“Locals will be interviewed”

About the conduct of pre-investigation checks announced in the Investigative Committee of the region. In places affected by the fire, sent criminologists.

“Local residents, heads of local authorities, employees of district administrations, as well as officials of bodies and institutions that ensure the safety of citizens' residence will be interviewed. Investigators will withdraw and examine the documents regulating this activity, ”the IC noted.

So, one of the causes of the fire could be a human error, pointed out the Acting Governor of Transbaikalia Alexander Osipov.

“Unfortunately, the human factor is still working negatively: in one place the garbage either burned or burned, and it led to a fire on the streets of the village, in another place the logging remains, sawdust smoldered, they were blown by the wind and drove across the steppe to settlement, "- he said in circulation.

The Rosleskhoz stressed that the situation worsened when local residents began to burn grass and garbage.

"Unauthorized burns of dry grass debris dramatically worsened
fire situation in the settlements of the Trans-Baikal Territory. There are injured amidst It is important to note that the fire of grass fires spreads rapidly and rapidly changes direction with a change in the wind, ”TASS reports the text of the appeal of the department.

The regional prosecutor's office opened criminal cases in connection with the careless handling of fire.

“In Transbaikalia, after an emergency situation related to fires, the inquiry bodies have so far identified 5 possible cases of fires due to careless handling of fire. For all of them, criminal proceedings were instituted on grounds of a crime under Art. 168 of the Criminal Code ("destruction or damage to property through negligence"), "- said the agency.