Avast ye mateys! A monstrous inferno be ravagin' a Russian treasure trove in St. Petersburg, arrr!
2024-01-13
Avast ye scurvy dogs! A monstrous inferno hath ravaged the treasure trove o' an online merchant's warehouse near St. Petersburg in Russia. Methinks the billowin' clouds o' pitch-black smoke be seen for leagues upon leagues.
A massive fire broke out in a warehouse belonging to online retailer Wildberries in St. Petersburg, Russia. The blaze was so intense that it sent flames and thick black smoke high into the sky. Approximately 300 firefighters, along with multiple fire engines and helicopters, battled to extinguish the fire, while workers inside hurriedly evacuated to safety. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among Wildberries' staff. However, news outlet Baza claimed that two people were hospitalized as they initially struggled to escape the rapidly spreading fire. The fire's location in the Pushkin district, south of St. Petersburg, exacerbated the situation. Reports from Russian media suggested that the damage caused by the fire could be around $122 million.Preliminary data indicated that the fire began around 4:20 a.m. Workers were seen in a video posted by Baza desperately trying to escape through narrow doors. The fire suppression system reportedly failed, causing the flames to ignite shelves containing household chemicals. In the panic, many employees resorted to jumping from the second and third floors onto the concrete below. The situation was chaotic, with workers running aimlessly throughout the warehouse in horror. The fire continued to approach the first floor while people were still descending from the third floor.
As the fire raged on, fireworks stored in the warehouse started exploding inside the building. The cause of this massive blaze, which covered an area of 70,000 square meters, remains unknown. While some officials claimed it was due to a malfunction in the electrical wiring, others suggested arson as a possible cause. There had been a brawl near the warehouse a few days prior, and a source in the ministry mentioned that arson was being investigated. Russian security forces had also conducted a raid on the warehouse. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.