At least eight people were killed after a large office building fire broke out near Moscow, said Governor Andrey Vorobyov. Only one person was rescued from the blaze at the burning building in Fryazino, about 25km (15.5 miles) north-east of the capital, emergency officials told the state-owned Tass news agency. 


Two people were killed after they jumped from a window while six were killed when the interior of the office collapsed in the blaze, said the Governor in a social media post. 


As per a BBC report, there are conflicting reports about the purpose of the building. It once homed the Platan Research Institute and defence industry, according to Tass. 






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A Russia-owned electronics organisation, Ruselectronics said in a statement to the agency that the building has been privately owned since the 1990s. However, opposition media outlets recently reported that Platan was based in the building as late as 2023. 


The Governor said that a 34-year-old man had been taken to hospital in a serious condition and according to the local emergency services, he was the only person rescued from the fire. 


Two firefighters were also being treated for injuries sustained in the fire, Vorobyov said. 


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Over 130 people and two helicopters were working to douse the flames, said officials from the emergency ministry, but that much of it had been "localised" by 8 pm local time. 


The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but according to one eyewitness, it broke out on the sixth floor before spreading, reported Tass. Vorobyov said that around 30 companies rented office space in the building and the fate of two employees in the building remained unknown. 


A criminal case has been opened, said the Governor, adding that the prosecutors are investigating what sparked the blaze.