DUSHANBE, March 10, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Two children were killed on March 8 as fire broke out in residential building in Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district.

A chief specialist with the main firefighting directorate within the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Karomatullo Abdulloyev, told Asia-Plus today that the fire occurred in the house of Jamoliddin Jalolov on the Zargar Street Sunday morning.

“When firefighting crews came to extinguish the fire, a space of 60 square meters was enveloped in flames.  Three firefighting crews were involved in putting out the fire,” said Abdulloyev, “Two children – the 4-year-old Muminsho Jalolov and the 6-year-old Zulfia Jalolova -- died in the fire.”  The investigation has established that the fire was caused by malfunction in use of electrical appliances, he said.

Abdulloyev added that 224 fires have been registered in the country since the beginning of this year.  14 people, including 4 children, have been killed in those fires.