- Explosions were captured on video at the enormous Mega Khimki mall.
- Josef Liokumovich bought 60% of the store for $10 (£8).
- A criminal investigation has been launched by Russia’s Investigative Committee.
A massive fire tore through a significant shopping center on the outskirts of Moscow, killing at least one person, according to Russia’s Emergencies Ministry.
Explosions were captured on video at the enormous Mega Khimki mall.
Although arson is being looked into as a potential cause of the fire, an electrical problem is believed to be a more likely ignition source.
Prior to their departure during the invasion of Ukraine in February, the center contained important Western retail chains.
Early on Thursday morning, a fire broke out on the OBI superstore’s roof, eventually covering 18,000 square meters (194,000 sq. ft.).
According to firemen cited by Russian media at around 07:30 Moscow time (05:30 GMT), the fire had been restricted to a 7,000 square meter area.
Two hours later, an Emergencies Ministry official said what he described as the “open fire” had been put out.
The building at OBI, which sells products for home and garden improvement, started to collapse after at least one explosion, according to firefighters.
The explosions are likely to have been brought on by aerosols and paint cans going off.
A criminal investigation into the incident has been launched by Russia’s Investigative Committee. $320 million to 480 million dollars (£261 million to £390 million) have been estimated as the fire’s losses.
After selling all of its Russian locations, including 27 superstores, during the summer, the German hardware company OBI is no longer the owner of the store.
Russian-born German-Israeli businessman Josef Liokumovich purchased a 60% interest for just $10 (£8).
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