The maximum-alert fire was part of a major terrorist attack
The burning Crocus City Hall concert venue following a terrorist attack. © STRINGER / AFP
Russian firefighters have managed to contain the fire at the Crocus City Hall, which was set ablaze by a group of terrorists on Friday evening.
Fire brigades are working to put out the remaining flames, the Emergencies Ministry told the media in its latest update on the situation.
The arson was part of an assault by unidentified perpetrators, which left at least 40 people dead and over 140 injured in the city of Krasnogorsk, on Moscow’s western municipal border. The concert hall is a major entertainment venue and was about to host a performance by a popular rock band when the terrorists struck.
The ministry said that around 13,000 square meters of the seven-story building – about a third of its entire floor area – were engulfed by the fire, which was assigned the highest threat level.
READ MORE: Large blaze rages at Russian concert hall hit by terrorist attack (VIDEOS)
Helicopters have dropped around 160 tons of water on the building. The Moscow River runs near the premises, which also include a shopping mall, a conference center, and a hotel owned by Crocus Group.
