At least 13 people were reportedly injured and one died as a result of the fire at the Ozon facility in the Moscow region
A massive fire engulfed a warehouse of Russia’s leading e-commerce platform Ozon near Moscow, forcing hundreds of people to flee the site.
The fire covers an area of 55,000 square meters, according to the emergency services. About 1,000 people were evacuated from the burning facility.
Videos of the scene circulating on social media captured a huge sheet of thick black smoke coming from the warehouse and rising high into the air. According to reports, the roof of the building collapsed due to the fire.
One person died as a result of the fire, while 13 others were injured, emergency services told the RIA Novosti news agency. Earlier reports suggested there were only a few hospitalizations, with most patients receiving treatment on the spot.
Dozens of fire engines and ambulances were dispatched to the scene, with Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry also using aviation to fight the blaze. Helicopters were filmed dropping water on the burning warehouse.
The Ozon warehouse building can no longer be saved, according to Moscow region governor Andrey Vorobyov.
The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into the alleged provision of dangerous services by the retailer, which allegedly caused the fire.
The village of Petrovskoe, home to the unfortunate warehouse, is located about 40 kilometers west of Moscow.
Ozon is one of the largest online retailers in the country, with some 25.6 million active customers last year. The company is sometimes nicknamed “the Russian Amazon”.
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