Russian minister spoke highly of work to evacuate people from tumbled building in Petersburg

The rescuers and firemen of St. Petersburg who evacuated people from the collapsed dormitory "worked brilliantly", said head of the Emergency Situations Ministry (MChS) of Russia Sergei Shoigu.

He said this to journalists after the conference held at the site of the incident.

Sergei Shoigu noted that the rescuers and firemen stayed in the building till the critical moment (the collapse of the staircase spans) and, risking their life, evacuated the dwellers from the collapsing building. No rescuers or firemen were hurt.

As many as 199 people lived in the section that collapsed.

As many as 196 people underwent registration after the tragedy; 110 of them are now staying with their relatives and acquaintances, and 80 - in the buildings of communal destination where they are provided with food. Four people - three dwellers who have not provided any information about themselves so far and a woman staffer of the bank whose subsidiary was in the building - are considered to be missing.

The rescuers have already done about 40 per cent of the work to clear the ruins. As many as 454 people and 60 machines and units of special equipment are working at the scene.

The firemen also keep working to eliminate the burning in the basements and to dismantle the constructions. The specialists are examining the collapsed house to decide the further fate of the building.

On Monday the constructions of the western side of a 9-storey apartment building made of brick and having a bituminised concrete roof in the Dvinskaya Street partially broke down. Three upper storeys of the building consisting of four sections collapsed. A fire emerged in the building, and one of its sections broke down.

By the preliminary estimates, the collapse and fire could be caused by an explosion of the gas cylinders which remained in the building after the repair made there in early May.