The cause of the fire at the MKM hotel in central Moscow, which killed seven people, was arson, informed press service of the capital GSU SK.
“According to the investigation, an unidentified person, acting out of personal hostility towards the residents of this hostel, set fire to the premises on the 5th floor,” the ministry said in a statement. The man involved in the arson is now wanted.
The Telegram Shot channel reports that Yury Khomchenko, 59, is wanted on suspicion of arson. He allegedly set fire to items in one of the apartments because neighbors were picking up furniture and making noise, Shot writes. According to the channel, an acquaintance of Khomchenko, who was with him at the time of the incident, was arrested and then tried to flee.
resident of the house said TASS that the man who set the fire drank constantly and “did not give life to everyone”.
By data REN TV, fire safety violations have already been observed in the building.
A fire in a 17-storey building on rue Internationale broke out on the evening of February 21. According to TASS, the first four floors of the house are occupied by the MKM hotel, the rest is a hostel converted into housing stock.
The fire killed seven people, including two children. According to the UK, all the dead were poisoned with carbon monoxide. Criminal proceedings have been instituted for the killing of two or more people in a generally dangerous manner, the willful destruction or damage to property in a generally dangerous manner, and for the provision of services which do not meet the requirements of security.
In addition, Yuri Tkachenko, acting head of EMERCOM of Russia for Moscow, and his driver were injured in an accident while driving to the scene of the fire. They are hospitalized.
