A raging fire in Binagadi district shook the entire country on May 19th, 2015.
Fires due to similar causes took place in Khazar District on February 27th and Khatai District on April 10th.
16 people, including 5 children, lost their lives. More than 60 people were injured in the fire.
President Ilham Aliyev ordered the establishment of a state – commission to investigate the incident.
Victims were paid 1,000 ($952) manat per family. Hajibala Abutalibov, Chief of Baku Executive Authority, visited the incident cite. He promised that the victims would be given compensation and temporarily provided with housing in designated areas. Edalet Rajabov, the spokesman of Khaladdin Isgandarov, the Chief of Binagadi Executive Authority, blamed Global Construction company, which was responsible for the cladding of the building.
Miryusif Makhmudov, director of Global Construction, was detained as a suspect. He is the director of a number of other global companies, including: Global Stone, M Line and Poli Plast.
President Ilham Aliyev personally participated in the opening ceremonies of these companies.
Aliyev also awarded Miryusif Makhmudov the title of “Honored Engineer” for his services in social, economic and cultural development of the second – largest city of Azerbaijan, Ganja, in 2014.
Polyurethane, the material Global Construction used to cover the building in question, was approved by the Standardization, Metrology and Patent Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Following a similar fire incident that took place in the district of Khatai district last month, one private citizen appealed to the Ministry of Emergency Situations to investigate the fire safety of this material.
The authorities replied assuring that the cladding is made of fire – proof material.
In Baku alone, Global Construction has coated more than 800 buildings with this material.
No official day of mourning was declared following the incident.
