Officials blamed for Russian fire
At least 64 people are reported to have died in the mall
MOSCOW — Thousands of Russians rallied for more than 10 hours Tuesday in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, demanding the ouster of regional officials for a shopping mall fire that killed at least 64 people.
President Vladimir Putin, on a trip to the city, scolded officials for neglecting safety rules that could have prevented the tragedy.
The blaze engulfed the Winter Cherry mall on Sunday, the first weekend of the school recess, trapping dozens of parents and children inside. Witnesses reported that fire alarms were silent and many doors were locked. Many of the victims were children who died in a locked movie theater after making desperate calls for help.
Putin arrived early Tuesday, laying flowers at the makeshift memorial to the victims outside the mall and meeting with officials. “We lost so many people because of criminal negligence and sloppiness,” the somber-faced Putin said.
He said investigators will track down those responsible.
Emergency officials reported that 58 bodies have been recovered, 41 of whom were children; rescue workers were still searching for six more in the city 1,900 miles east of Moscow.
One protester, Igor Vostrikov, addressed deputy governor Sergei Tsivilyov, saying the families of the victims think the death toll is much higher than authorities have stated.
“We’re not calling for blood,” he said. “The children are dead, you can’t give them back. We need justice.”
When Tsivilyov dismissed the comments, Vostrikov shouted that he has lost his wife, sister and three daughters, aged 2, 5 and 7, in the fire.
“They died because they were locked in a movie theater,” Vostrikov told the Dozhd television station.