Date November 24, 2003 Deaths 36 | Location Moscow, Russia Non-fatal injuries 170 | |
The 2003 Peoples' Friendship University of Russia fire was a fire that occurred about 2:30 a.m. on November 24, in a hostel that stood among other dormitories on the campus of Peoples' Friendship University of Russia in Moscow, Russia.
It was reported by police that 36 people died inside the hostel, three bodies were found outside, some died in hospital and another 170 were hospitalised. It was reported that one exit was blocked and too many people were crammed into tiny rooms. Education minister Vladimir Mikhailovich Filippov told reporters there were two possible causes of the tragedy, "arson or careless use of electrical appliances".
The victims were from various countries such as China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Angola, Ivory Coast, Tahiti, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Peru, Malaysia, Mongolia, India, Nigeria, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, and Palestinian citizens.