Fires ravage central Russia, killing at least 8

By Maxim Tkachenko, CNN
September 3, 2010 11:36 a.m. EDT Moscow, Russia (CNN) — Fires left at least eight people dead and hundreds homeless in three regions of central Russia, government officials said Friday. The regions of Volgograd, Saratov and Samara — all along the Volga River in central Russia — have been hit by forest fires, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said. Volgograd suffered some of the most damage, with flames attacking 502 buildings, including 308 homes. In Saratov and Samara, a total of 532 buildings, including 400 homes, were affected, according to the ministry. The ministry reported that most of the 74 fires that emerged in the past 24 hours in central Russia have now been contained. The blaze started after severe wind storms, coupled with hot weather, disrupted electricity transmission lines, causing short circuits that led to the fires, the ministry said. …