Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in Russia. For many years, he suffers from various disasters. Many believe that the main trouble of this region is the annual floods. However, no less trouble brought the residents big fires in St. Petersburg.
Disaster area
The cultural capital of Russia was founded in 1703 by the first emperor - Peter the Great. The king dreamed of building a unique, beautiful city. Under the leadership of the ruler, he grew very quickly. Not only hired workers who built the streets moved here, but also politicians, cultural figures, nobles, and intelligentsia. By 1750, about 150,000 people lived in the city.
A minor fire in St. Petersburg prevailed quickly. In the first years of the capital’s existence, the city was dominated by one-story (very rarely two tiers) wooden premises. At first they stood a short distance from each other. It was these few meters that did not allow the flame to spread to neighboring rooms.
Rescue teams
The first significant fire occurred back in 1710. Then, near the Trinity Square, the bazaar took up. Since then, a need has arisen for a fire station. Subsequently, the rescuers of St. Petersburg received the glory of the most efficient and best fire fighters.
After this disaster, they organized a special detachment that fought with fire. Trained people walked along the streets with drums and knocked the population on danger. To overcome the elements raised the army. Simple inhabitants, and even some emperors, helped to extinguish the flame.
But small fires in St. Petersburg did not cause any particular alarm. Although this element was seasonal.
Causes of Fire
Often “red cocks” appeared in early December. It was at this time that the first period of house heating was accounted for . Some buildings flared up due to faulty stoves and chimneys. Others caught fire due to careless handling of fire. The buildings were wooden, so flared up one after another like matches. In summer, lightning struck the domes of churches. On especially hot days in the household sheds and outbuildings, smoldering tow (fiber) and rags (flammable rags) began to smolder.
Since the 50s of the XIX century, fires in St. Petersburg occurred due to careless handling of kerosene lamps. Very rarely there were deliberate arson.
Areas from the ashes
Over the years, buildings became more and more. Houses were built at dangerously close distances to each other. The middle of the yards was filled with utility rooms, sheds, baths. This street structure required a special approach.
On August 1, 1727, a fire broke out, killing more than 500 people. At first the warehouse was burning. Then the elements moved to the houses of people, and from there - to the loaded ships. After this event, the authorities issued a decree in which it was noted that all the wooden structures standing near important industrial facilities would be demolished.
However, the fires in St. Petersburg did not stop. In broad daylight on August 11, 1736, straw lit up in a room on the Moika embankment from a spark. One after another, houses flashed instantly. The elements raged for about 8 hours. As a result, 100 rooms turned to ashes on the Admiralty side.
Merciless elements
The following year, namely June 24, the fire broke out again. This time, the cause of the trouble was deliberate arson. Criminals caught in the hot. The "Red Rooster" ran from Moyka to the Green Bridge. Then more than 1000 living quarters turned into ashes. People who were left without a roof over their heads were allocated rooms in the barracks of state institutions. This fire in St. Petersburg forced the authorities to rethink the security system. Soon after, a professional rescue service was organized.
The red element did not spare anyone. On December 17, 1837, the imperial Winter Palace caught fire due to a faulty chimney. Nicholas I himself participated in curbing the elements. He personally supervised the fire department. Valuable items were brought out partly from the burning building, but the luxurious interior burned to the ground.
With the growth of the city, the number of fires increased. In the 1850s, the figure stood at around 100 fires per year. In 1910, the number reached 1,500.
Precious time
After the change of power, the safety rules were updated. However, no one can completely provide peace to the residents of the city. So, in the last century, a fire occurred in the hotel "St. Petersburg", which then was called "Leningrad". The tragedy occurred on February 23, 1991. The service was informed of the trouble only at 08:00 in the morning. Prior to this, workers tried to fight the fire on their own. When rescuers arrived, stairs and elevator shafts burned. Therefore, many guests remained cut off from the exits. As a result, 16 innocent souls died, 9 of which were the rescuers themselves. Among the causes of fire - a TV breakdown and a shorted wire. Also considered version of arson in order to destroy the traces of the murder.
On October 16, 2015, this hotel was again damaged by fire. On the 5th floor, construction debris caught fire. The fire area was about 50 m². Rescuers immediately evacuated more than 1000 people. Thanks to the professionalism and efficiency of the service, there were no victims.
Black smoke flame
A lot of noise made a fire in the Vyborg district of St. Petersburg. A fire broke out there on October 17, 2015 in the afternoon. It was a room on three floors, where oil was stored for cars in cans and auto parts in paper boxes.
Smoke from the warehouse was visible for several kilometers. At night, everything was shining from the flame. At first, the fire area reached 1000 m². However, very soon the area increased. Therefore, the flame was more than 10,000 m². The roof fell due to the elements. In order to overcome the elements, rescuers poured more than 30 tons of water onto the premises.
Many residents of the surrounding areas were frightened by the terrible black smoke that rose from the object. Many said that chemical fumes harm human health and undermine the environment. However, experts soon assured that the smoke poses no threat.
Unfortunately, the investigation failed to establish the cause of the fire. Many different versions had this fire in St. Petersburg. Now Vyborg is undergoing restoration work.
Terrible tragedy
November 20, 2015 the city stirred up from the terrible news of the tragedy on Marshal Tukhachevsky Street. House 31 began to glow on the 15th floor. Professionals immediately attributed the catastrophe to particularly difficult cases. It turned out that two apartments were on fire. Firefighters, without wasting time, evacuated 50 people who lived nearby. They were at risk. The population could be affected by carbon monoxide.
The fire began to rage at 18:00. Rescuers arrived at the scene immediately. But the flame turned out to be so powerful that more than two hours were spent on its elimination. The fire area was 75 m².
When the fire was extinguished, they found the bodies of 5 victims. The investigation established that the negligence of the residents of the apartments became the likely cause of the fire. Statistics show that in recent years this is the worst fire in St. Petersburg. Tukhachevsky, 31 - this is an example of how dangerous negligence can be.
Despite the fact that the current working conditions of the Ministry of Emergencies are very prompt and successful, specialists cannot do without the support and care of ordinary citizens. Therefore, the rescue service asks residents of St. Petersburg to be always on the alert.