April 11 Declared Day of Mourning for Makhachkala Fire Victims

State flags all around Russia's North Caucasian republic of Dagestan flow at half-mast as the republic's State Council, or the parliament, declared April 11 the Day of Mourning for the victims of fire in Makhachkala's boarding school for deaf children.

Cultural institutions, the TV and radio company Dagestan and other municipal companies were advised to cancel entertainment events and programs.

The fire at the boarding school killed 28 children and injured 109, of whom 22 are being treated in resuscitation units and 34 more suffer from more or less grave injuries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message of condolences to Chairman of the Dagestani State Council Magomedali Magomedov, in which he wrote the Russian leadership would do everything possible to help the families of the victims.

A jet belonging to the Russian emergencies ministry flew to Makhachkala bringing a team of doctors and medical drugs for the injured.

Russian deputy Prosecutor-General Sergei Fridinsky, too, came to Makhachkala to oversee the investigation of the fire. The Dagestani Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal case into the matter.