Massive fire erupted in one of St Petersburg’s largest markets on Wednesday evening, killing one person and injuring at least two others.
Massive fire erupted in one of St Petersburg’s largest markets on Wednesday evening, killing one person and injuring at least two others. The fire followed an explosion that caused chaos at the market, with crowds fleeing and thick smoke billowing over the Nevsky district.
According to the statement released by Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, the blaze broke out in a market building in the Nevsky district on Wednesday night.
The ministry noted that a highly flammable material inside the structure helped fuel a fast-moving inferno, and that “96 firefighters and 26 units of equipment” were deployed to contain the flames.
Meanwhile, local reports said that the fire began at around 5 pm (local time) and spread rapidly across roughly 1,500 square meters, engulfing much of the two-storey Soviet-era complex.
A man died in the fire at a market in St. Petersburg. The building was almost completely destroyed, and the fire alarm did not go off
The body of the deceased man was found under the debris at the burning Pravoberezhny market in St. Petersburg. Another man was taken to the… pic.twitter.com/rwD9nWA3yV
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 10, 2025
Eyewitnesses told local media that they heard “multiple” blasts as the flames intensified. At least two people were injured: a 52-year-old woman who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning and a man who jumped from the second floor to escape.
As of now, the authorities maintain that the cause of the blaze remains unclear, and investigators are examining whether any safety violations contributed to its rapid spread.
The Pravoberezhnny Market, where the fire took place, was formerly known as the Nevsky Collective Farm Market. It was built between 1979 and 1983 and is lauded for its Soviet modernist architecture.
Despite its cultural significance, the complex has faced long-standing scrutiny over fire safety standards, including multiple inspections, one as recently as November 2024.
Interestingly, the market has also been the subject of regulatory disputes with city authorities. In light of this, a formal probe has been launched to determine what triggered the fire.
With inputs from agencies.
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