Riverboat Fire Kills One Person In Russia's St. Petersburg

A riverboat fire has killed one person in Russia's second largest city, St. Petersburg.

Media reports cited Emergency Situations Ministry officials on August 22 as saying that the fire broke out onboard the Pyotr Tchaikovsky river-cruise ship at around 05:30 a.m. local time and was extinguished in less than an hour.

According to the emergency officials, more than 300 people aboard the vessel were evacuated after the fire started in the boat's engine room and killed a person who was there. It was not immediately known if the victim was a crew member or a passenger.

An investigation has been launched into the fire.

Based on reporting by RIA Novosti, TASS, and Interfax