Two perish in Kohtla-Järve residential building fire

Two people died in a house fire in the eastern Estonian town of Kohtla-Järve on Monday.
The Alarm Center (Häirekeskus) received a call at just after 3.30 p.m. Monday informing of them of a blaze at a residential building in Oblika tänav, in the Sompa district of town.
A neighbor had spotted smoke coming from an apartment, whose occupants they were unable to rouse by knocking on the door; first responders instructed them not to enter the apartment, and Rescue Board (Päästemet) personnel from Jõhvi itself, equipped with breathing apparatus, were soon on the scene to begin the job of extinguishing the blaze.
Firefighters subsequently found two people inside the building, one already deceased and a second whom an ambulance crew were unable to resuscitate.
Extinguishing operations ended at 4:23 p.m.
The exact cause will be established via procedures though initial evidence suggests the fire may have started due to a carelessly discarded cigarette.
The tragedy brings the number of people who have perished in house fires in Estonia in 2024 to a total of 12.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Marko Tooming