Massive fire breaks out at Research Institute of Russian Aerospace Forces

A massive fire broke out at the Central Research Institute of Aerospace Defense Forces in the city of Tver, Central Russia, on April 21.

The fire could have occurred due to the emergency operation of the electrical grid, emergency services said, TASS reports.

"According to preliminary data, the emergency operation of the electrical grid became the cause of the fire, since the building and wiring are old,” officials said.

One person was killed and 14 were hurt in the fire that broke out in the building of the military Central Research Institute in Tver, RIA Novosti reports. It was said that people were jumping out of windows in an attempt to save their lives.

The fire has currently engulfed as many as 1,000 square meters. Firefighters continue working on the scene to extinguish the fire.

The Central Research Institute of Aerospace Defense Force belongs to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. It conducts comprehensive research on issues of aerospace defense and military space activities of the Russian Federation and the CIS.

According to most recent reports, the fire broke out at different buildings of the Research Institute. This may exclude the version of electrical grid malfunction.

UPDATE: According to most recent reports, seven people were killed and nearly 30 hurt in the fire. EMRCOM resorted to the use of fire helicopters.