Careless handling of fire remains the main cause of fires in Minsk's housing stock.

May 21, MINSK . A meeting on the prevention of fires, fatalities, and injuries in residential buildings was held at the Minsk City Executive Committee. The discussion was prompted by the challenging situation in the city: despite a decrease in the overall number of fires, the death toll has risen, BELTA reports.

According to Maxim Yakovlev, Deputy HEAD of the Minsk City Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations , 10 people have died in fires in Minsk this year—two more than in the same period last year. An increase in fatalities was recorded in the Tsentralny, Frunzensky, and Zavodskoy districts. An increase in fires was also noted in the Zavodskoy and Pervomaysky districts.

"The Commission for the Prevention of Fires, Fatalities, and Injuries in Residential Buildings works regularly, meeting monthly. We are implementing a range of preventive measures, including the national campaigns 'For Safety Together' and 'A Home Without Fire.' This is already yielding results—the overall number of fires in the city is decreasing," Maxim Yakovlev noted.

According to him, the main cause of fires remains the same - careless handling of fire, including smoking while intoxicated.ALCOHOL intoxication . These are the types of incidents that most often lead to tragedies.

Deputy Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee Andrey Strigelsky emphasized that the key task is systematic and targeted preventative work . Particular attention, he said, should be paid to the elderly, citizens in difficult life situations, and families with children. He believes it's important not only to inform but also to teach responsibility—to parents, schoolchildren, and all city residents, since safety in every home begins with simple but vital rules.