Death toll in fire in central Moscow rises to eight

The death toll in a fire at a flower warehouse in central Moscow has risen to eight.

Report informs via Russian media that earlier reports said seven people were killed.

The fire was reported at 3:13 pm Moscow time on Sunday. The flame partially destroyed floor structures between the building’s first and second floors on an area of 500 square meters. The fire was localized on an area of 2,500 square meters and was extinguished at 11:55 pm, after having raged for almost nine hours.

According to a preliminary version, a malfunctioning electric heater and a power shutdown could have caused the fire, the emergencies official said.