Drinking Blamed for a Third of Moscow Fires

One-third of the fires in Moscow homes last year, many resulting in fatalities, were directly caused by drunkenness, a city fire spokesman said Saturday.

Speaking on the main television news program, the spokesman said urgent measures, including more effective public information on the subject, are needed to combat alcoholism and carelessness.

He said many of the fires were caused by people dropping cigarettes because their hands were unsteady after drinking.

“The majority of the people who perished were in a state of intoxication,” he said.

The Kremlin has recently expressed its concern about the high rate of alcoholism in the Soviet Union, and liquor rationing and prohibitive measures are reported to be on the way.