Ten Georgian citizens and one Iranian perish in Batumi fire

In the evening on November 24, a major fire broke out in Batumi, the capital of Adzharia, in the five-star "Leogrand" Hotel. Tonight the fire was extinguished. According to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), 11 people perished in the fire; three fire-fighters have also suffered. In total, 21 persons were hospitalized.

According to the MIA, an Iranian and Georgian citizens perished in the fire.

"Eleven people, ten Georgian and one Iranian citizens perished in the fire in the "Leogrand" Hotel in Batumi," says the statement posted on the website of the Georgian MIA.

According to Zaala Mikeladze, the Minister of Public Health of the Autonomous Republic of Adzharia (ARA), there are five Turkish and one Israeli citizens among the victims, the "Interfax" reports.

Giorgi Gakhariya, the Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs, has stated that serious violations of fire safety standards were revealed in the hotel building during the inspection held after the fire.

"This building doesn't have fire escape, which was the main cause of the risk and the victims we have. Non-observance of standards is a grave violation; severe punishments will follow," the "News-Georgia" quotes Mr Gakhariya as saying today, on November 25.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.