Fire at the Winter Cherry shopping centre in Kemerovo
Kemerovo, Kemerovo region · 25 Mar 2018
On 25 March 2018 a fire broke out at the Winter Cherry shopping and entertainment centre in Kemerovo. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, 60 people died, 37 of them children.
Official figures
- Dead: 60 (as of 12 Apr 2019) archive copy
- Of them children: 37 (as of 12 Apr 2019) archive copy
- Injured: 147 (as of 12 Apr 2019) archive copy
First version and outcome
First three days: 25 Mar 2018 to 28 Mar 2018
- 25 Mar 2018 · Toll · A spokesperson for the Investigative Committee's Kemerovo office: “Dead at the scene: three children, I can't say their ages yet, and one woman” archive copy
- 25 Mar 2018, 19:08 Moscow time · Toll · Ministry of Emergencies: “Earlier, social media posts said several visitors were in a toilet on one of the floors of the burning building. The Ministry of Emergencies did not confirm this.” archive copy
- 25 Mar 2018, 19:16 Moscow time · Responsibility · Rinat Enikeev, Chief State Fire Inspector of Russia: “The ministry's chief state fire inspector Rinat Enikeev said the centre had not been inspected by the fire authorities because it was a small business, covered by the moratorium on inspections.” archive copy
- 25 Mar 2018, 19:22 Moscow time · Cause · TASS, citing a source in the emergency services: “A source in the emergency services said a foam ball caught fire under a child in the play room. It is not ruled out that this happened because of children playing with fire, he said.” archive copy
- 25 Mar 2018, 19:45 Moscow time · Responsibility · Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee: “not only among the owners and tenants but also among the officials of the supervisory bodies whose duties include detecting fire-safety violations at the site” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 00:07 Moscow time · Toll · The Kemerovo region's emergency headquarters: “According to the emergency headquarters' preliminary data, 37 are known to have died and more than 40 people sought medical help. The fate of several dozen more people remains unknown.” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 07:10 Moscow time · Toll · Svetlana Petrenko, Investigative Committee spokesperson: “The investigation of the criminal case over the fire at the shopping centre in Kemerovo has confirmed the deaths of 56 people” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 14:25 Moscow time · Cause · Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of Emergencies: “Vladimir Puchkov said it was too early to speak of the causes of the fire.” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 14:37 Moscow time · Responsibility · Svetlana Petrenko, Investigative Committee spokesperson: “The fire exits in the centre were blocked” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 14:56 Moscow time · Responsibility · Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Federation Council: “All those found guilty must be punished most severely; they deserve such punishment if this is negligence, if this is inattention to safety” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 17:43 Moscow time · Cause · Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of Emergencies: “A terrorist attack is not being considered” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 18:01 Moscow time · Toll · Sergei Menyailo, presidential envoy to the Siberian Federal District: “intends to check media reports of non-disclosure undertakings allegedly demanded from the relatives of the fire's victims who arrive for identification” archive copy
- 26 Mar 2018, 19:02 Moscow time · Toll · Investigative Committee of Russia: “Information circulating on social media about supposedly hundreds of victims of the tragedy in Kemerovo is not supported by anything and does not correspond to reality” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 03:49 Moscow time · Toll · Vladlen Aksenov, Deputy Minister of Emergencies: “64 people died in the fire. The emergency headquarters had and has no other information” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 07:15 Moscow time · Responsibility · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: “We talk about demography and we lose so many people. Because of what? Because of some criminal negligence, because of slovenliness.” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 07:15 Moscow time · Responsibility · Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of Emergencies: “V. Puchkov: Control and supervision of small and medium enterprises are also on holiday, Comrade President of the Russian Federation. V. Putin: Listen, that does not apply to safety.” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 07:15 Moscow time · Cause · Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee: “There are two versions: either spontaneous ignition from faulty wiring that short-circuited, or the version we believe less, the use of an open flame.” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 07:15 Moscow time · Responsibility · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: “A legal assessment must be given of the actions of every official. Study everything carefully and give a legal assessment. No one can hide behind some holiday.” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 07:15 Moscow time · Cause · Aman Tuleyev, Governor of the Kemerovo region: “Those I met say there was a children's party and there were fireworks. This is preliminary; eyewitnesses say so.” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 08:20 Moscow time · Responsibility · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: “They will go along the whole chain, from the moment this building was re-registered and permission was given to turn a factory into an entertainment centre, and who allowed these materials to be used for such a purpose.” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 13:54 Moscow time · Responsibility · Investigative Committee of Russia: “Investigators are asking for the arrest of the accused in the criminal case opened after the fire at the Kemerovo shopping centre.” archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018, 20:33 Moscow time · Toll · Svetlana Petrenko, Investigative Committee spokesperson: “the prankster gave false information in order to destabilise the situation in the region” archive copy
- 28 Mar 2018, 02:39 Moscow time · Toll · RAPSI, Rossiya Segodnya news agency: “We found five main myths that were spread intensively in the first day after the tragedy. None of them received any evidence or factual basis.” archive copy
- 28 Mar 2018, 09:15 Moscow time · Toll · Vladlen Aksenov, Deputy Minister of Emergencies: “There are no missing persons. We have no information about relatives who do not know where their loved ones are” archive copy
- 28 Mar 2018, 17:15 Moscow time · Toll · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: “And second: we see that, unfortunately, there are plants through social networks, including from abroad, to sow panic and distrust and set people against each other.” archive copy
- 28 Mar 2018, 17:15 Moscow time · Responsibility · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: “Yesterday I looked at the record of the building's inspection in 2016, including by fire service staff. What did I read? It even sounds strange: "No remarks".” archive copy
- 28 Mar 2018, 18:33 Moscow time · Toll · Basmanny District Court, Moscow: “It was reported earlier that the Investigative Committee had opened a criminal case against the prankster under article 282 of the Criminal Code” archive copy
Later: investigation, courts, official findings
- 29 Mar 2018, 18:10 Moscow time · Toll · Dmitry Peskov, the President's press secretary: “We identified the plants: they came mainly from two countries, Ukraine and Turkey” archive copy
- 30 Mar 2018 · Responsibility · A court, at the Investigative Committee's request: “On 30 March 2018 the former head of the Kemerovo region's State Construction Supervision Inspection, Tanzilya Komkova, was arrested.” archive copy
- 1 Apr 2018, 10:57 Moscow time · Responsibility · Sergei Tsivilev, acting Governor of the Kemerovo region: “No one will be shielded or hidden.” archive copy
- 18 Apr 2018, 16:26 Moscow time · Responsibility · Svetlana Petrenko, Investigative Committee spokesperson: “The investigation has documents from the prosecutors of the Kemerovo region and of Kemerovo on the need to exclude small and medium businesses from scheduled inspections” archive copy
- 20 Apr 2018 · Toll · Svetlana Petrenko, Investigative Committee spokesperson: “allowed the investigation to determine the final number of those who died in the fire: 60” archive copy
- 25 May 2018, 09:42 Moscow time · Responsibility · Investigative Committee of Russia: “the head of the Ministry of Emergencies' Kemerovo regional directorate, Alexander Mamontov, the head of the regional ministry's supervision department for the city of Kemerovo, Grigory Terentyev, and others” archive copy
- 21 Mar 2019 · Responsibility · Ministry of Emergencies: “In the situation they found themselves in, the firefighters acted according to the situation” archive copy
- 25 Mar 2019 · Responsibility · Investigative Committee of Russia: “the complex's owners, chasing profit, tried to cut costs wherever possible. And first of all they saved on people's safety.” archive copy
- 12 Apr 2019, 11:44 Moscow time · Cause · Prosecutor General's Office: “the fire started from a short circuit in the electrical wiring on the fourth floor” archive copy
- 12 Apr 2019, 11:44 Moscow time · Responsibility · Prosecutor General's Office: “The fire-suppression system was not connected to the alarm, which kept it from working, and the automatic water and powder suppression systems were faulty.” archive copy
- 16 May 2019, 08:30 Moscow time · Responsibility · Investigative Committee of Russia: “Clearly, when inspecting and issuing documents confirming that the rebuilt building met building rules and standards, the construction supervision staff turned a blind eye to a great deal.” archive copy
- 14 Oct 2019 · Responsibility · Arbitration courts: “The permit was signed in March 2014 by a deputy head of Kemerovo city, after the regional construction supervision inspection gave the building a positive assessment.” archive copy
- 24 Mar 2020 · Responsibility · Investigative Committee of Russia: “The owner of the Winter Cherry shopping centre, Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, has been extradited to the Russian Federation” archive copy
- 29 Oct 2021 · Responsibility · Zavodsky District Court, Kemerovo: “Kemerovo's Zavodsky District Court sentenced the former director of the Kemerovo Confectionery Plant (the main owner of the Winter Cherry centre), Yulia Bogdanova, to 14 years in a general-regime penal colony.” archive copy
- 29 Oct 2021 · Responsibility · Investigative Committee of Russia: “The Investigative Committee has brought criminal charges against all persons whose actions or inaction predetermined the tragedy” archive copy
- 22 Nov 2021 · Responsibility · Ministry of Emergencies: “The separate ruling the court addressed to the acting head of the Ministry of Emergencies, Alexander Chupriyan, says the ministry trains its staff poorly.” archive copy
- 24 Dec 2021 · Responsibility · Central District Court, Kemerovo: “On 24 December 2021 Kemerovo's Central District Court sentenced Tanzilya Komkova to 18 years in a general-regime penal colony.” archive copy
- 7 Oct 2022 · Responsibility · Central District Court, Kemerovo: “On 7 October 2022 Kemerovo's Central District Court sentenced Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, former director and co-owner of Winter Cherry, to eight years in a strict-regime penal colony for a bribe to the head of the regional construction supervision.” archive copy
- 27 Jun 2023 · Responsibility · Central District Court, Kemerovo: Alexander Mamontov, former head of the Ministry of Emergencies' Kemerovo regional directorate, got 10.5 years (negligence and embezzlement); Grigory Terentyev, former chief state fire inspector for Kemerovo, got 8.5 years. archive copy
- 29 Mar 2024 · Responsibility · Kemerovo Regional Court: “to release Mamontov from punishment under part 3 of article 293 of the Criminal Code (negligence) because the limitation period has expired” archive copy
- 4 Oct 2024 · Responsibility · Relatives of the dead (claims at Moscow's Dorogomilovsky District Court): “The claims for moral damages were brought against the Ministry of Emergencies and OJSC Kemerovo Confectionery Plant.” archive copy
Timeline: key decisions
- 27 Mar 2018 · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: Putin flew to Kemerovo and laid flowers at the building. archive copy
- 27 Mar 2018 · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: Decree No. 123 declared 28 March a day of mourning and told the Government and the regions to help the families. archive copy
- 28 Mar 2018 · Russian Federation: 28 March was a national day of mourning. archive copy
- 1 Apr 2018 · Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: Decree No. 137 accepted Tuleyev's resignation at his own request and appointed Sergei Tsivilev acting governor. archive copy
- 1 Apr 2018 · Aman Tuleyev, Governor of the Kemerovo region: Tuleyev explained his resignation in a video address. archive copy
- 21 Aug 2018 · Kemerovo city administration: The shopping centre's building was demolished. archive copy
- 15 Sep 2019 · Kemerovo regional and city authorities: The "Park of Angels" opened on the site of the centre. archive copy
- 14 Oct 2019 · Arbitration courts: The arbitration court invalidated the city's 2014 permit to put the centre into use; the city's appeal was rejected. archive copy
- 11 Dec 2019 · Rudnichny District Court, Kemerovo: On 30 claims the court ordered the owner company to pay 118 million roubles to relatives of the dead. archive copy
- 30 Jan 2020 · Government of Russia: The Government sent the Duma a bill on liability for repeated fire-safety violations, citing the Kemerovo fire. archive copy
- 29 Oct 2021 · Zavodsky District Court, Kemerovo: In the first case Yulia Bogdanova, former director of the Kemerovo Confectionery Plant (the centre's main owner), got 14 years; Nadezhda Suddenok, director of the main tenant, 13.5; Georgy Sobolev, the plant's technical director, 11; Igor Polozinenko, director of the firm that serviced the fire alarm, 6.5; a guard, an engineer and two firefighters got 5 to 8 years. archive copy
- 24 Dec 2021 · Central District Court, Kemerovo: In the second case (a bribe for approving the building) Tanzilya Komkova, former head of the regional construction supervision inspection, got 18 years; three others got 7 to 15 years. archive copy
- 7 Oct 2022 · Central District Court, Kemerovo: Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, the owner company's former co-owner and director, got eight years for bribing the head of the regional construction supervision inspection. archive copy
- 27 Jun 2023 · Central District Court, Kemerovo: Alexander Mamontov, former head of the Ministry of Emergencies' Kemerovo regional directorate, got 10.5 years (negligence and embezzlement); Grigory Terentyev, former chief state fire inspector for Kemerovo, got 8.5 years. archive copy
Money
- 26 Mar 2018 · ₽76m · Order No. 508-r allocated 76 million roubles from the Government's reserve fund for one-off allowances: 1 million roubles per person killed to their families, 200,000 to 400,000 roubles to the injured.
- 11 Dec 2019 · ₽118m · On 30 claims the court ordered the owner company to pay 118 million roubles to relatives of the dead.