Late on the night of December 24, a fire swept through an illegal shelter on Tavricheskaya Street in Kemerovo. The Ministry of Emergencies received the alarm at 03:30 local time, as reported by authorities. Firefighters arrived to find the entire second floor already ablaze, according to TASS, and the fire quickly spread across the building.
The blaze expanded to cover about 180 square meters and was classified as a second-degree incident. More than 80 responders and 28 pieces of equipment were mobilized to battle the flames and conduct rescue operations.
The shelter, a two-story structure, housed shops and animal facilities on the first floor while the second floor accommodated the residents. The upper level was completely destroyed, leaving the first floor intact but compromised by heat and smoke.
Investigators reported 22 fatalities. Two of the critically injured remained in serious condition with burns, while four others were sent for outpatient treatment after exposure to carbon monoxide. Those on the lower floor reportedly escaped the danger in time, according to official updates from TASS.
Sources citing rescuers described finding several bodies near the building’s exit, between two and three meters away. All the victims were severely burned, emphasizing the deadly severity of the event.
A volunteer described in a local report that many residents could not flee in time. He recalled hearing alarm alarms, seeing people trapped, and witnessing others unable to escape as flames engulfed the structure. An eyewitness estimated that the building housed up to 27 people at the time.
Rescuers cleared the debris around 6 a.m., a process slowed by deep frost and heavy blizzards reaching minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Law enforcement noted that the shelter was illegal for housing the elderly. Shortly before the fire, shelter management reportedly refused entry to fire safety inspectors. In December, the same owner faced a protocol regarding the building raised by fire safety authorities, reflecting ongoing concerns about compliance.
The facility was identified as an object of extreme risk and was included in the 2023 inspection plan. The Ministry of Emergencies stated that attempts to conduct unscheduled checks were made because fire safety measures and the protection of life and health were believed to be potentially violated in the shelter.
In December 2022, shelter management reportedly blocked employees from entering the building, prompting the landlord to be the subject of a formal protocol for impeding official oversight.
Telegram updates from the governor’s press service indicated that local authorities would tighten oversight over all nursing homes. Governor Sergei Tsivilev pledged comprehensive monitoring of such facilities, especially private ones, with enforcement steps to be completed within a week.
Officials offered condolences to the victims’ families and noted the commitment to stronger oversight of elderly housing facilities. Investigations into the incident were pursued under several articles of the Criminal Code, focusing on negligence, the provision of unsafe services, and related offenses leading to deaths.
The authorities identified the owner of the shelter for questioning. Reports cited that he was renting the building at the time of the fire. While causes remain unconfirmed, preliminary theories pointed to improper use of a stove or heating equipment as possible triggers. Other sources mentioned a potential electrical fault or wiring issue. Investigators also noted the presence of gas cylinders in the building during the fire, adding to the risk profile of the shelter.
A team from the central apparatus of the Ministry of Emergencies subsequently traveled to the Kemerovo region to assist in the investigation and response efforts.
Shelter Creator
Preliminary data point to the shelter’s owner as a local priest associated with the Evangelical Christian Church, Andrei Smirnov. The Baza Telegram channel claims the 31-year-old opened the shelter three years prior in a bid to help vulnerable people, reportedly motivated by his own past as a homeless individual.
According to REN, Smirnov managed additional business activities beyond his church duties, including registering as an individual entrepreneur in 2019. He was involved in retail, primarily selling animal feed through a small pet store located within the shelter building, and he offered cleaning services for facilities in the area.
In recent months, Smirnov’s commercial turnover reportedly declined. A December report suggested that revenue had fallen sharply compared with mid-year figures, and bailiffs were attempting to collect a substantial debt from him as a private entrepreneur.
Neighbors told journalists that the shelter offered residence to people of various ages, not just the elderly. Some residents described plans to replace aging boilers, noting that the existing boiler was in poor condition and housed in an annex at the rear of the building. Another neighbor claimed access to the interior had been restricted by the shelter’s owners.
Local observers recalled events from several years earlier that sparked controversy on social networks regarding the shelter’s operation and its treatment of residents. The overall impression from the community was that the shelter had become a sensitive and disputed site in the area.