KHUJAND, June 17, Asia-Plus  -- 13 persons, including two children, have been killed in 224 fires reported in the northern Sughd province since the beginning of this year, The Sughd firefighting service chief Rahim Pirov said in an interview with Asia-plus.   

According to him, damage caused by those fires has amounted to 234,629 somonis.  

In 2007, 139 fires were reported in northern Tajikistan and five persons were killed in those fires.  Damage caused by last year’s fires amounted to 90,996 somonis.   

The firefighting service chief noted that 86 percent of this year’s fires occurred in residential sector.  The main cause of the fires was not satisfying fire safety requirements.