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Fire Hits 2018 FIFA World Cup Stadium In Volgograd, Russia


A fire sent clouds of smoke into the air at a stadium that is being built to host 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer matches in the Russian city of Volgograd.

The city firefighting service said piles of plastic insulation foam caught fire early on June 14, and that the blaze was extinguished within minutes after firefighters responded.

Some 100 square meters were affected, the service said.

Footage taken by local residents and posted on the Internet showed clouds of black smoke billowing into the air from the stadium.

WATCH: Fire At A Volgograd Construction Site

No casualties were reported, and the cause was not immediately known.

Some 1,200 people are working on construction of the Volgograd Arena, one of 12 sites around Russia where World Cup matches are to be held in June and July 2018.

Human Rights Watch said in a report issued on June 14 that workers building the venues face "exploitation and labor abuses."

With reporting by championat.com and tvzvezda.ru
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