38 Die in Mental Hospital Fire Near Moscow: 36 Sedated Patients, 2 Doctors Burn to Death in Psychiatric Center Blaze, Firefighters Take Hour to Arrive

Several reports confirm that 36 mental health patients and two staff members burned to death when a fire broke out at a psychiatric hospital near Moscow early Friday (April 26). According to officials, several of the patients were sedated and sleeping in bed when the blaze swept through the facility. Allegedly, it took firefighters and emergency personnel an hour to arrive at the tragic scene.

Authorities confirm that 41 individuals resided in the building when the fire began. One nurse managed to escape with two patients - the 38 other people lost their lives in the raging flames. According to the Christian Post, Yuri Deshevykh of the Emergencies Ministry told the state-run RIA Novosti that many of the patients were under sedatives, which is why they did not wake up when fire alarms went off. It's believed that a total of 29 people were burned alive, with a total death toll of 38 (including two doctors). The victims ranged in age between 20-76 years old.

An Emergencies Ministry official told the AP that the fire most likely started in a wooden annex of the building, and quickly spread to the main brick, wooden-beamed area of the facility. A Russian Health Ministry official described the one-story institution as a brick and wood hospital building that housed patients diagnosed with severe mental disorders. According to doctor-in-chief Murat Shahov, only two patients were unable to walk - the rest suffered severe psychological illnesses; "There were patients with acute psychosis, alcoholics and one drug addict. We also had patients with schizophrenia." The hospital had some barred windows, but authorities claim none of the doors were locked when the blaze broke out.

A law enforcement source told the Daily Mail, "Some [patients] tried to escape but were poisoned by the products of combustion" (using a technical term for smoke).The building "burned down almost completely" before the flames were even extinguished. RIA Novosti reports that the fire was most likely caused by a short circuit.

Allegedly, it took firefighters and emergency responders an hour to arrive at the scene because at the time of the fire (about 2:30 a.m.), a ferry that ran across the canal to the location was closed. They were then forced to take a longer detour.

Here's a breakdown of tragic medical facility fires in Russia, as reported by the Daily Mail:

RUSSIA'S TRAGIC HISTORY OF MEDICAL FACILITY FIRES

Tragic blazes in medical facilities are common in Russia with at least 18 cases registered in the past seven years.

One of the most notable was in 2009 in the Russian Republic of Komi, where a blaze in an old people's home in the region took the lives of 23 people. Only three were saved in the incident.

Two years earlier, a fire in the city of Tula, again in a home for elderly care, resulted in 32 victims. Luckily 247 patients, including medical staff were saved.

That same year, in 2007, another inferno in a care home claimed the lives 61 of victims. Only 35 people were saved.

Thoughts and condolences go out to the victims and their family and friends during this time of tragedy.