Wildberries Warehouse Fires: Eyewitnesses Describe Evacuation Chaos and Violations
After Ukrainian drone strikes on Wildberries warehouses in Moscow and Tambov regions, fires broke out killing eight people and injuring over 80. Eyewitnesses claim management obstructed evacuation, forcing workers to open gates themselves and flee through forests.
Eyewitness accounts published by Post- magazine and independent investigative outlet iStories detail chaotic and allegedly unsafe evacuations at two Wildberries warehouses hit by Ukrainian drone strikes. In Elektrostal, Moscow region, one person was killed and 61 injured; in Kotovsk, Tambov region, seven died and 25 were injured.
According to witnesses, warehouse managers in Elektrostal blocked employees from leaving the burning building. Some supervisors reportedly tried to prevent workers from "making off with merchandise," forcing them to manually open automatic gates to escape. Sofia, sister of an injured worker, told Post- that a senior supervisor held her brother and others inside, urging them to "calm down and not panic" before workers eventually forced open a freight door and jumped out.
Another witness described supervisors gathering workers at Block 10 to return barcode scanners instead of evacuating. When the building began to collapse, the supervisors abandoned the workers and ran for a regular door, followed by subordinates. Many workers had no time to retrieve phones, documents, or belongings from lockers.
The fire alarm did not activate immediately, and in Elektrostal, the siren reportedly never went off at all, according to Post-. In some sections, supervisors told workers that a firefighter would open the gates, then left, causing panic. Ambulances remained at the checkpoint, leaving the wounded to be transported by informal local drivers.
At the Kotovsk warehouse, there was no organized evacuation. An employee said management refused to let workers leave until they finished their tasks. Only after a "massive boom" did people run without instructions, some fleeing through a forest. No safety procedures for air attacks had been explained.
Wildberries denies all violations, stating that emergency exits were opened immediately, alarm systems activated properly, and employees evacuated according to plan. The company has set up a hotline for relatives of missing workers.
