PROTESTERS DEMAND FIRE SACKINGS

FUMING with anger, thousands of Russians rallied for more than 10 hours yesterday in a Siberian city, demanding the sacking of regional officials for a shopping mall fire that killed at least 64 people.

President Vladimir Putin, on a trip to the city of Kemerovo, scolded officials for neglecting safety rules that could have prevented the tragedy. The blaze engulfed the Winter Cherry mall in Kemerovo on Sunday, trapping dozens of parents and children inside. Witnesses said fire alarms were silent and many doors were locked. Many of the victims were children who died in a locked movie theatre after making desperate calls for help.

Mr Putin arrived early yesterday, laying flowers at the makeshift memorial to the victims outside the mall and meeting with officials.

Picture: AFP A mother and child pause at a makeshift memorial in Moscow to pay tribute to the victims of the Siberian shopping mall fire.