GROZNY, Russia, April 4 (UPI) -- Fire destroyed much of a 40-floor high-rise apartment building in Grozny, Chechnya, Wednesday, authorities said. There were no injuries.
Local emergency services said the skyscraper blaze that started between the fourth and fifth floors about 6 p.m. Wednesday was finally extinguished about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, the Russian TV network RT reported.
Nearly 300 firefighters worked to put out the fire, which RT said was being investigated as a criminal case for possible violations of fire safety rules.
The tabloid LifeNews, citing a local police source, said the initial indications were the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, RT said.
The newspaper said local administrators also confirmed French actor Gerard Depardieu owns a 27th-floor apartment in the complex but it wasn't clear whether it was damaged.
