In Aktobe on the evening of 7 April, a fire broke out in the building of the regional akimat — one of the region's key administrative facilities. The blaze spread to the roof but was extinguished the same day with no casualties.
HOW THE FIRE DEVELOPED
According to the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), a report of the fire was received at 20:21 on 7 April. The fire started on the roof of the six-storey administrative building on Abulkhair Khan Avenue.
The first firefighting units arrived at the scene within five minutes. Upon arrival, rescuers discovered three open fire sources. An operational command post was set up on site, and firefighters worked under a higher response category.
The fire was contained and fully extinguished the same evening. The total area of the blaze was 300 square metres.
WHAT COMPLICATED THE FIREFIGHTING
As the MES clarified, extinguishing the fire took place under difficult conditions. Factors that hindered the rescuers' efforts included:
- the rapid spread of fire over a large area;
- the presence of combustible materials;
- heavy smoke and high temperatures;
- the structural features of the building.
More than 140 personnel and around 40 units of equipment were deployed to tackle the fire. Firefighters ensured an uninterrupted water supply, which helped prevent the fire from spreading further.
ARE THERE CASUALTIES AND WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE
No reports of casualties were received via the 112 helpline.
The cause of the fire is being determined at the time of publication.
OFFICIAL RESPONSE AND SAFETY MEASURES
As reported by Aktobe Region Akim, Askhat Shakharov, an investigative team has already been set up to look into the causes of the fire.
According to him, on 8 April, staff from the regional akimat and a number of government departments will work remotely.
The akimat building has been temporarily disconnected from the power supply. Security measures on site have been stepped up, and round-the-clock duty shifts for firefighters and emergency services have been organised.
The akim also held an emergency meeting of the operational command post for the emergency situation, where he heard reports from the heads of relevant agencies.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The regional akim emphasised that the akimat building is a key regional administrative facility where decisions affecting residents' lives are made.
The authorities have stated their intention to restore the institution's operations as quickly as possible and to keep the public informed with up-to-date information on the progress of the recovery efforts.