Tragedy in Moscow's Aqua Park (PHOTOS)

Rescue workers continued clearing the ruins of Moscow's aqua complex “Transvaal Park” in the course of the entire night in Yasenevo region, where the roof had collapsed last Saturday, February 14th.
 
Currently, death toll reaches 24. Numerous people remain in critical condition. Additional technical equipment has been sent to the remains of the recreational complex early Monday morning.

view PHOTOS

Rescuers began clearing the ruins with the aid of heavy machinery. According to a representative of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, since there are no more alive individuals under the debris, a decision has been made to stop rescue works, reports RIA “Novosti”. “The Ministry staff will continue to conduct searches in the area,” added he.

At 10:00 am MSK rescue workers began demolishing a large fragment of a concrete visor above the aqua park in Yasenevo, informed a source from the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Everyone involved in rescue works have been evacuated from the territory. The Ministry is not sure how much time it will take to completely disassemble the remaining fragments of the roof.

At 9:00 am MSK, Monday morning, the death toll has equaled to 25. 68 people remain hospitals. Five of them, including three children, remain in critical condition. This has been reported by Moscow’s Department of Health. 18 men, 25 women and 25 children remain in hospitals, informs “Interfax”.

24 of the 25 dead have already been identified, stated assistant public prosecutor of Moscow Vladimir Yudin. At the same time, there is a possibility that the death toll may significantly increase. The staff of liquidation of consequences of the tragedy has received numerous phone calls in the course of the day via specially-designed hotline. Callers were inquiring about individuals who had presumably been inside the complex in time of the collapse and whose fate remains unknown still.

Cynologists also talk about a possible increase of the death toll. According to them, 7-15 fragments of human bodies can still be buried under the debris. Such data had been gathered after additional inspections of the wreckage.

At the same time, the number can also be lesser than the one expected. This has to do with the fact that an approximate amount of people still remaining under the debris has been calculated based on a number of lockers with clothes inside.

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has stated the following, “we no longer hope to uncover someone alive from the wreckage.”

According to unofficial information, 40 dead bodies have been extracted from underneath the ruins. This number is not final however. Fragments of bodies, including newborns, have also been recovered. RBC has reported that the death toll can exceed 60 people. This information has been confirmed by those rescue workers on the scene. Emergency headquarters claims that approximately 800 individuals were in the aqua park area when the roof collapsed, reports Rosbalt.

Source: NewsRu , Information agencies