MOSCOW, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- A fire that broke out on the roof of a residential building in northern Moscow injured at least 10 people, local media reported on Friday.
"According to preliminary data, there are more than 10 injured as a result of the emergency," Russia's TASS news agency cited the emergency services as saying.
The fire in the residential building on Chernyakhovskogo Street started at night. It initially covered an area of 300 square meters, but later spread to 4,000 square meters.
Around 400 people were evacuated from the building. A medical helicopter arrived at the scene to assist the wounded people.
TASS said that this fire was the largest in a residential building in Moscow in the recent history of Russia.
The press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said that the open fire was extinguished, and the rescuers were watering and dismantling the structures. Two helicopters of the Moscow Aviation Center dropped 50 tons of water. Some 175 people and more than 50 units of equipment continued to work on the site.
TASS reported that the emergency services were considering a short circuit in the wiring under the roof as the possible cause of the fire. Other versions, including arson, were also being studied. ■
