Post by : Rameen Ariff

A massive blaze swept through a historic Soviet-era market in St Petersburg on Wednesday evening, killing at least one person and injuring two others. The incident took place at the Pravoberezhnny Market in the city’s Nevsky district, where emergency crews rushed to evacuate around 100 people as flames tore through the building.

Videos circulating online showed huge flames shooting through the roof of the sprawling marketplace, lighting up the evening sky as thick smoke billowed over the surrounding neighbourhood. The fire affected nearly 1,500 square metres of the structure, a significant portion of the iconic Soviet-era complex.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, the blaze spread rapidly because of the high fire load inside the market during the holiday season. Firefighters brought in additional units, specialised equipment, and a mobile chemical laboratory to tackle the intense flames. A total of 26 fire engines and 96 personnel were deployed to gain control over the situation.

Officials said the fire began at approximately 5:00 PM local time at the two-storey market building on 16 Ulitsa Dybenko. By 7:22 PM, firefighters were able to localise the blaze, although extinguishing efforts continued well into the night as crews worked to prevent the fire from reigniting.

Authorities in the Nevsky district have launched a full investigation to determine how the fire started. They have not yet confirmed whether any safety violations or structural issues contributed to the rapid spread of the flames across the market.

A Historic Soviet-Era Landmark

The Pravoberezhnny Market, once known as the Nevsky Collective Farm Market, is housed in a Soviet modernist building measuring roughly 25 by 100 metres. Constructed between 1979 and 1983, the market holds cultural significance and was featured in the popular 1989 Soviet film “Interdevochka.”

In recent years, the market has faced repeated inspections over fire safety compliance, with local authorities monitoring its condition closely. The latest incident has renewed concerns over safety standards in older commercial buildings in St Petersburg.

The tragedy has once again drawn attention to fire safety in Russia, where several large-scale fires in public spaces have raised questions about outdated infrastructure and inadequate safety measures.

#Global News