DUSHANBE, December 22, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Two persons have been killed in a fire that occurred in downtown Dushanbe.

According to the Interior Ministry fire department, the fire broke out in an administrative building located behind the Rohat Choikhona (teahouse) Wednesday evening, at 7:48 pm.

“Two fire crews were involved in extinguishing the fire,” said the source.  “The bodies of two persons were found inside the building.  One of them was identified as a guard of the organization.”

He added that according to the findings of the preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by use of homemade heating appliance.

1,100 fires have been reported in Tajikistan over the first eleven months of this year, which is 160 cases fewer than in the same period last year.  24 persons, including nine children, have been killed by those fires.  A total damage caused by this year’s fires has been estimated at 13,128,093 somoni.