In Astrakhan, residents of burnt house believe it was arson

In Astrakhan, residents of a wooden two-storey house, which was burnt in fire on July 27, blame the fire-fighters for negligence. The residents also believe that the fire that took 7 human lives could be caused by a criminal arson. The fire-fighters from the local rescue service of the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE) deny the fire victims' allegations.

On July 27 at 02:47 a.m. the emergency service in Astrakhan received a message about the fire in the two-storey apartment house No. 28 in Maxim Gorky Street. After the fire extinguishing it became clear that seven inhabitants were burnt down alive, nine were hospitalized. 20 people were accommodated in the school No. 30 and provided with three meals a day.

Now the policemen are on duty near the burnt house, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. Alexander Murzov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that his parents, disabled persons of the first group of disability, lived on the first floor of the burnt house.

"We managed to save them," says Alexander Murzov and continues: "We literally dragged them out of the fire. Everything was burnt in the fire, including things and documents. I just managed to save my passport." Answering the question where he spent that night, Alexander said that he had spent it outdoor.

He believes that the fire-fighters were negligent while extinguishing the fire. "They did not hurry to extinguish the fire. The first car arrived, and the fire-fighters were walking pouring their legs with water and doing nothing. I approached them asking to direct the water flow to the first floor where our apartment was located, but they ignored me. The fire-fighters seemed to be drunk. I shall file a complaint," stated Alexander Murzov.

Alexander Shalnev, who lived in a house next to that of fire victims, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that had been not the first fire in Maxim Gorky Street. He has noted that there were already six of them: "The houses hampered the construction, leaning against the gates. So, the houses were burnt."

The press service of the Russian MfE for the Astrakhan Region denied the victims' allegations of negligence against the fire-fire-fighters.