Fewer people die in 2014 New Year's fires in Russia

MOSCOW, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Many fewer people died in New Year's holiday fires this year than a year ago, a Russian emergency official said Friday.

Yuri Deshevykh, a department chief for the Emergency Situations Ministry, also said the number of holiday fires had decreased, RIA Novosti reported.

Between Dec. 31, 2013, and Jan. 2, 2014, some 180 people died in 1,500 celebratory fires across Russia, Deshevykh said. During New Year's celebrations between Jan. 1-8, 2013, 448 people died.

Some 4,220 fires were recorded during last year's New Year's festivities.