Fire at Russian defence research facility kills 6 people

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian officials say six people have died and 27 more are injured after a fire at a defense research facility in the northwestern Russian city of Tver. The fire erupted Thursday in an administrative building of the Aerospace Defense Forces’ Central Research Institute, which operates under the Russian Defense Ministry. The blaze quickly engulfed the building’s upper three floors, forcing those inside to jump from windows ad causing the roof to cave in. Regional military prosecutors are investigating the cause of the blaze. Early findings reportedly point to the building’s aging wiring. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the institute focuses on research related to air and space defense, including the development of new anti-aircraft systems.