In the early hours of November 30, a devastating fire erupted in a hostel located in Almaty, resulting in the tragic loss of 13 lives, TuraNews.kz reports citing the press service of the Department of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The incident was reported at 05:33 on Adi Sharipov Street in Almaty, prompting a swift response from the emergency services. The first fire department arrived at the scene within 7 minutes, finding a blaze in the basement of a three-story residential building. The first floor and basement had been repurposed into a hostel, with the fire encompassing an estimated area of 30 square meters, as detailed by the Emergency Situations Department.
Efforts to control the fire were successful, with the flames fully extinguished by 06:22. Unfortunately, during the reconnaissance and firefighting operations, 13 casualties were discovered, their identities presently under investigation. Preliminary findings suggest that the victims succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.
At the time of the incident, the hostel housed 72 individuals, of which 59 managed to evacuate on their own. The response to the emergency involved 46 individuals and 13 units of equipment from the Almaty Emergency Situations Department.
Investigations are currently underway to determine the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the tragic loss of lives.
