During the investigation, officials determined that four staircases at Crocus City Hall were blocked at the time of the attack. Telegram channel reports confirm this detail.
There were also issues with doors equipped with an anti-panic system—designed to open with a single action in public spaces. Preliminary data indicate that during the terrorist attack, roof exits with anti-panic handles failed to operate because bicycle locks were hanging from them.
Additional concerns point to possible malfunctions of automatic fire alarms and the blockage of some basement doors within the building.
According to official sources, more than 5,000 people were evacuated from Crocus City Hall during the incident while approximately 100 individuals were rescued from the fire.
On the evening of March 22, the concert hall at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall was struck by a terrorist attack. Gunmen entered the hall before the scheduled performance, began firing on the audience, followed by explosions and a fire. The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case under Article 205 of the Criminal Code related to a terrorist act [Citation: Investigative Committee].
Earlier reports have provided a complete chronology of the Crocus attack, and ongoing investigations continue to piece together the sequence of events and contributing factors [Citation: Official Authorities].