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Four firefighters killed in warehouse blaze in Minsk

At least four firefighters died battling a blaze that broke out at a warehouse of the Minsk Computing Equipment Plant on the morning of May 11.

The fire started at 9:05 a.m. and the roof collapsed some 45 minutes later, burying seven firefighters under the debris inside the burning warehouse, Vital Navitski, spokesman for the emergency management ministry, told BelaPAN.

All of the men were quickly pulled from the rubble. "Two of them died at the scene as efforts were underway to resuscitate them, while two more died in hospital," Mr. Navitski said, adding that the other three firefighters were receiving treatment in hospital.

The blaze was put out at 11:38 a.m. As many as 105 workers and 25 equipment units were involved in efforts to extinguish the blaze.

With a floorspace of 200 square meters, the warehouse was said to be rented out by the plant.

Minsk Prosecutor Mikalay Kulik arrived at the scene to lead an inquiry into the accident.