A factory fire in Novosibirsk kills 10, including nine foreign workers

A fire at a shoe factory in Novosibirsk has claimed the lives of 10 people: seven Chinese citizens, two Kyrgyz citizens, and one Russian citizen.

Sources told the news agency RIA Novosti that the workers “tried to extinguish the fire on their own, before firefighters arrived, but succumbed to carbon monoxide inhalation. The blaze is believed to be the result of either a short circuit or fire safety violations. Rescue workers told reporters that the staff who died “were unfamiliar with the basics of safety rules.”

Local investigators have opened a criminal case into fatal safety violations. The district attorney’s office is also reviewing the shoe factory’s compliance with laws on urban planning, fire safety, and migration registration.