KHUJAND, July 15, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Sughd firefighters are investigating an apparent fatal house fire in the city of Chkalovsk.

The source at the Sughd firefighting department says the fire started in the early morning of Thursday, at around 3:00 am.

“Because of strong wind the flames that started in house # 65 spread to the neighboring residential building,” said the source, “The fire that enveloped both houses damaged the space of 180 square meters.”  According to him, firefighters extinguished the fire in one and a half hours.

He said resident of house # 65 Ilhom Daminov, 33, was killed in the fire.  “He probably died from carbon monoxide poisoning,” the source added.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.