Massive Fire in Simferopol Raises Suspicions of Arson for Development

On the night of February 15, a large-scale fire broke out in annexed Simferopol on the territory of the Central Market. The fire engulfed a shopping center near the Lokomotiv stadium, destroying about a thousand square meters of space. The fire was extinguished only in the morning, despite the involvement of all available fire brigades.

This was reported by Krym.Realii with reference to eyewitnesses.

Local residents suggest that the fire could have been deliberate, as the land in the area is attractive to developers. Social media suggests that the arson could have been organized by business structures interested in building high-rises, as the real estate market in the Crimean capital remains active.

The fire danger was exacerbated by the fact that there is a boiler room next to the shopping arcade. If the fire had spread to it, the situation could have become even more critical.

As of now, utilities are eliminating the consequences of the fire, and the occupation authorities have not officially commented on the causes of the fire.

Recently, it became known that the annexed Crimea does not disclose information about the dead waterfowl that were sent for rehabilitation to the Taigan lion park after the environmental disaster in the Kerch Strait.

Earlier, Tatiana Beley , director of the occupation's Delphi Scientific and Ecological Center for Dolphin Rescue, said that the number of dead dolphins as a result of the Volgoneft tanker accident and fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait had reached 84.

Before that, Odesa environmentalists discovered that jellyfish poisoned by fuel oil were dying en masse on the coast of Odesa region. According to Ivan Rusev, an employee ofthe Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park, there were 2-3 jellyfish per meter on the sand on a two-kilometer stretch of coastline, with a total of about 5,000 individuals. There were even more of them in shallow water areas, but it was not possible to count their number. The scientist suggested that the jellyfish could consume nanofractions of oil products along with plankton, which could have serious environmental consequences.

Андрій Колісніченко