MOSCOW, August 30 (Itar-Tass) — Fire-fighters have put out the fire at a pavilion of the All-Russia Exhibition Centre in Moscow. There have been no casualties, spokesman for the Moscow department of the Emergency Situations Ministry Yevgeny Bobylyov told Itar-Tass.
Personnel of the state fire-fighting inspectorate are at the scene looking into the cause of the blaze.
“It is premature to talk about the cause of the fire, but according to preliminary information, it might have started because of violations of the fire safety rules during gas welding works at the pavilion which is being renovated,” Bobylyov said.
The area engulfed by fire totalled 1,000 square meters. Roof partially collapsed on an area of 800 square meters.
Two fire-fighting helicopters were dispatched to the scene to help 20 teams of fire-fighters.
The all-Russia Exhibition Centre sprawling on an area of 237.5 hectares is located in north-eastern Moscow. It was established in 1939, when it hosted the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition.
In 1950, it was closed for four years for renovation works.
In 1959, the exhibition centre was renamed to the Exhibition of Economic Achievements (VDNKh), while its present-day name was given to it in 1992.
The All-Russia Exhibition Centre accommodates various architectural monuments, some of them are famous all over the world.
The exhibition space of 71 pavilions on its premises totals 134,000 square meters.
Pavilion # 56 damaged by fire is also known as “veterinary medicine.” Shaped as a semi-circle, it makes a yard at the entrance, with a fountain-symbol of animal medicine in the middle.
A gallery lined with columns with capitals stretches along the front of the pavilion and part of its sides. Two towers with bas-reliefs of farm animals top the building.
The building’s volume is 9,600 cubic meters. Its floor space is 1,200 square meters, the height of its halls is 5.75 meters and the exhibition area is over 2,500 square meters.