Fire kills 8 in office building near Moscow

At least eight people died Monday in a fire in an office building near Moscow, including two who jumped from the building to escape the flames, authorities said.

State news agency Tass said the fire in Fryazino, about 25km (15 miles) northeast of the Russian capital, was caused by a malfunctioning electrical system. Videos shared on social media show thick plumes of smoke rising from windows throughout the multi-storey office building.

The regional governor Andrei Vorobyev said in a post on the social platform Telegram that oxygen tanks stored in the building exploded, causing some ceilings to collapse. Two people died when they jumped from the building and six more died inside, Vorobyev said.

He said offices in the building were rented by 30 different companies, including the Platan Research Institute, which produces electronics.

The Platan Research Institute is among several Russian companies sanctioned by the US Treasury for meddling in foreign elections, carrying out malicious cyber operations and undermining security abroad.