7 March, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. A criminal case has been initiated by the Investigative Committee Department for the Vitebsk Region concerning the fire at Rossonskaya Secondary School, as reported to BELTA correspondent by Inna Gorbacheva, Chief Inspector of the Information and Public Relations Group of the Investigative Committee Department for the Vitebsk Region. A criminal case has been initiated under Article 304 of the Criminal Code of Belarus "Violation of fire safety rules, resulting in grievous bodily harm or less grievous bodily harm" based on the circumstances of the fire that occurred this morning. The investigation of the case is being conducted by an investigator from the Investigative Committee Department for the Vitebsk Region. Initial investigative actions are underway, with narrowly specialised experts involved. Fire-technical, biological, and forensic medical examinations have been commissioned. During the investigation, the cause of the fire will be established, and legal assessment will be given to the actions of those responsible. As previously reported, seven children with bruises and injuries are in Rossonskaya Central Hospital. Medical professionals do not rule out the possibility that the children will be transferred to the regional children's hospital in Vitebsk. As reported, at 8:00 AM today, a report was received by the Rossonsky Emergency Situations Department regarding a fire in the 3-storey building of Rossonskaya Secondary School named after Masherov. Four units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were dispatched to the scene. In conjunction with the school administration, 575 children and 36 teachers were evacuated. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, there were no casualties from burns or carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of the incident. The school building was not damaged, though the walls were smoke-stained. According to preliminary data, the cause of the fire was the careless handling of fire by an unidentified person, resulting in the ignition of stored waste paper.-0-

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