According to the news website azerbaycan24.com, quoting sources from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the number of victims has meanwhile risen to five. The fire broke out in one of the offices of the four-story building of the Central Research Institute of the Russian Air and Space Forces and spread over an area of 1,500 square meters. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, it could have been caused by a faulty electrical installation. The media reported that dark smoke hovered over the building at the time of the fire. It was not immediately clear whether any chemicals had leaked before the fire or whether the smoke was the result of burning. Some people had to be treated by doctors because they inhaled combustion products. Others were injured as they tried to save themselves from the fire by jumping out the window. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the institute focuses on research related to Russia’s air and space defense, as well as the development of new anti-aircraft systems. Hundreds of fires are reported in Russia each year, often as a result of outdated infrastructure and non-compliance with already relatively lax safety standards.