2015 Baku residence building fire

2015 Baku Residence Building Fire

Time	around 10:00 Baku Time (06:00 GMT)
Date	May 19, 2015
Location	Binagadi raion, Baku, Azerbaijan
Coordinates
Cause	Inflammable facade material
Deaths	15
Non-fatal injuries	63

The 2015 Baku residence building fire occurred on 19 May 2015 in a 16-level residence building located in Azadlig Avenue 200/36 in Binagadi raion of Baku, Azerbaijan. As a result of the fire, officially 15 people died, of which 5 were children, and at least 63 people were injured. The most of the victims are killed by toxic smoke as the building caught fire. Firemen could put the fire out completely only after 3 hours.

The disaster led to severe outrage among the population and provoked a lot of discussions around the material used in the renovation of the facade of more than 200 apartment blocks in Baku built in the Soviet period. Consequently, the Mayoralty started the process of removing the facade of the buildings where the material causing the fire was used.

A similar fire had erupted in Baku a few days earlier, on 10 April 2015, but there were no injuries and casualties. The reason for both of the fires is indicated as low quality inflammable facade material used in the renovation.