Preschoolers were evacuated before rescuers arrived as the roof of a kindergarten in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, caught fire on Tuesday, May 2. Reports indicate that the incident was conveyed by the city’s Emergency Situations Department via a news agency.
At 15:29 local time, firefighters from the Astana Emergency Situations Department were dispatched to the address on the street. Among those reported, a 1-year-old child named Khludova was noted as part of the initial information received by the department.
Upon arrival, rescue personnel confirmed that the fire originated in the roof area of the kindergarten. The situation was described by officials as approaching a higher level of complexity as responders assessed the scene and began suppression and rescue operations.
Earlier updates referenced fatalities in related incidents across Kazakhstan, including two children who died in a separate fire at a private residence. Investigators were stated to be examining the causes of that fire, while a second private residence fire left a family with a two-year-old child injured but alive.
The ongoing response and investigation efforts reflect the push to determine ignition sources, assess structural safety, and implement necessary protective measures for residents and responders in the region. The emergency services emphasized the need for rapid evacuation and coordinated firefighting actions to protect children and other vulnerable occupants during such emergencies. Attribution: Emergency Situations Department and local reporting agencies.