PHOTO: 41 apartments damaged in fire at Bereke residential complex in Astana

Astana’s residential complex Bereke had 41 apartments damaged by the recent fire, Tengrinews.kz reports referring to the press center of Astana Department of Emergency Situations. “The signal appeared on the display of the staff on duty (firefighters) on 28 April at 8:21 p.m. A fire iN a two-storeyed building on 18 Otyrar street was reported,” the press center reports. As they explained at the department, fire-fighting units were sent to the fire site the same minute. Upon arrival they saw that both the two-storeyed uninhabited dormitory and the ground to nine floor window and balcony frames of the nearby Bereke residential complex were on fire. As fire fighters later determined, 41 apartments of the 13-storeyed building were damaged by fire. The area on fire made 800 square meters. “The fire was brought under control at 9:49 p.m., and at 11:28 p.m. it was fully contained. 21 units of general equipment, and 12 units of special fire-fighting equipment, and 106 fire fighters took part in tackling the fire,” they specified in the Department. The city authorities reported that all the injured received immediate medical assistance. “Yesterday immediate actions on evacuation of people were taken. Some were put into hotels and those who required medical aid received it. The investigation is being carried out now as part of the emergency situation and the results will be announced,” Akim (Mayor) of the capital’s Almaty District Sapar Akhmetov commented on the situation. According to him, 2 families requested relocation, the rest dealt with the issue on their own. At the moment the investigators from the department of the emergency situations are work at the fire site, investigating what caused the fire and estimating the cost of damage incurred. Bereke high-rise residential complex that caught fire is located in the “old” part of the city. The photos and videos of the fire can be found here.