Massive fire breaks out at mall in Moscow region

MOSCOW: A fire broke out in a store in the Mega Khimki shopping mall in the city of Khimki in the Moscow region on Friday, the regional department of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies said. The department said the fire covers an area of 7,000 square meters, Sputnik reported.

Cans filled with paint and aerosols are exploding in the store at the scene, the department told the Russian news agency. Some 30 people and nine units of equipment are engaged in extinguishing the fire, the report added.

"The fire at 7:05 a.m. [Moscow time, 04:00 GMT] was assigned difficulty number four of five," the press office of Russia's Ministry of Emergencies said. The ministry's aviation was put on alert due to the fire and is ready to assist in extinguishing operations.

Moscow region's prosecutor's office said on Telegram that, according to preliminary information, there are no casualties. The office launched an investigation and will examine compliance with Russian law, including fire safety.