Fire engulfs Moscow business centre, people feared trapped
A massive fire that engulfed an office building in western Moscow has now been extinguished, officials say.
At least two people were rushed to the hospital, amid fears that several people could still be trapped.
Authorities said on Friday that around 130 people had been evacuated from the 10-storey building, with rescue crews searching for anyone who might still be inside.
Russian emergency services scrambled at least 180 firefighters and equipment to deal with the fire, as well as dozens of vehicles and three helicopters, according to Associated Press.
Russia’s newly appointed emergencies minister, Alexander Kurenkov, also went to the site to oversee the firefighting efforts.
While authorities didn’t name a possible cause of the fire, Russian news reports pointed to a short circuit as likely sparking the blaze.
Emergency footage showed a raging fire, billowing black smoke and a truck and firefighters fighting the flames with water hoses.