Moscow, Oct 9 (IANS): Over 3,000 people were evacuated after a major fire broke out at a building materials shopping centre in the Moscow region, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said on Sunday.
The fire started at the basement of the Sindika marketplace located in the suburb of the Moscow city in the afternoon and then spread up to the roof of the building, Xinhua quoted the ministry's Moscow region department as saying.
The roof on an area of 1,000 square metres collapsed, the ministry said.
A number of cars exploded at the underground parking lot. Two people were injured in the fire.
More than 240 people and 140 pieces of equipment were sent to the scene of the fire for the rescue operation, including three Ka-32 helicopters, the ministry was quoted as saying.