ST. PETERSBURG, December 15 (RIA Novosti) - Six people, including two children, died in a house fire in the second largest Russian city of St. Petersburg, a source in the emergencies ministry said on Tuesday.
"The fire in a five-storey residential building on Kolokolnaya street in the central district of the city erupted at 3.26 Moscow time [0.26 GMT]," the source said, adding that seven people, including two children, were also injured.
According to the source, the fire erupted in a five-room apartment on the fourth floor of the building and then spread to the fifth floor and attic.
Nineteen fire engines arrived at the scene to combat the fire, which engulfed an area of 90 sq. m. (970 sq. feet)
Russia has an appalling fire safety record. According to the country's emergency services, 15,165 people died in fires across the country in 2008, including 584 children. On average, 42 people die daily in Russia in fires. In the U.S., with a population over twice as large, the figure is around 3,400 deaths a year.
