In Astrakhan, two separate fires erupted at the same address during the night of January 6 into January 7, both blamed on careless smoking. The regional dispatch service of EMERCOM reported that the events highlighted the dangers of smoking indoors and the need for strict fire safety measures in residential buildings.
The first alarm arrived at 23:35 when witnesses noticed smoke near the entrance and contacted emergency services. Firefighters arrived quickly and found a man in the burning apartment who had to be pulled out to safety by responders. A second occupant, located in another room, was evacuated by the fire team. The fire was brought under control and did not spread further, with investigators confirming that the initial cause was careless smoking. One of the rescued individuals required hospital transport for medical treatment, while the other occupant was accounted for and handed over to medical staff for evaluation.
About the same time the subsequent morning, at 6:45, a new report of a fire at the same residence came in. Once again, the preliminary assessment pointed to smoking-related carelessness as the cause. Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames and ensure the structure remained intact while law enforcement teams took custody of the apartment owner for further inquiries and verification of circumstances surrounding the incident.
Meanwhile, in the Kuban region, responders discovered the body of an eight-year-old boy inside a residence that had suffered a fire. The discovery underscored the severe risks associated with fires in homes and the critical importance of early ignition prevention, rapid evacuation, and coordinated emergency response to protect vulnerable residents, especially children, in scenarios involving smoke and flames.