Karaganda, 24 October. During a fire in a nine-storey building in Karaganda's Mamyrayev neighbourhood, rescuers led eight people, including five children, out of the building and evacuated seven more residents down the stairs; no one was hurt, the Emergencies Ministry said.
Furniture and household items caught fire in a flat on the fourth floor. To lead people through the smoke-filled stairwell, rescuers put special protective hoods on them — hoods with a filter that protect the eyes and airways from smoke. The fire was quickly put out.
The building is in the Alikhan Bokeikhan district. The Emergencies Ministry has not yet named the cause of the fire.
What it means: A fast response and protective hoods allowed rescuers to bring 15 people out of a smoke-filled building without injuries.
Who benefits: The residents, who are all safe. The Emergencies Ministry, which has an example of how protective equipment works in evacuations through smoke-filled stairwells.
Background: A protective hood, or self-rescuer, is a hood made of non-flammable material with a filter; it is put on a person being led through smoke so that they are not poisoned by combustion products.
