The main cause of fires in the Mogilev region this year is careless handling of fire. 

Photo by the Ministry of Emergency Situations , September 18, Mogilev. Ahead of the Unified Safety Day, which traditionally takes place in Belarus on the fourth Thursday of September, a press conference was held in Mogilev with representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Department of Internal Affairs, and healthcare, BELTA reports.

Speakers outlined key areas of work to prevent emergencies and reduce fatalities from external causes.

HEAD of the Mogilev City Department of Emergency Situations Vyacheslav Basharimov emphasized: "Our goal is not just to inform, but to make each person feel that safety is, first and foremost, their personal responsibility. We live in an era of technology, but with it, new threats are growing. Therefore, training must be continuous and adapted to modern challenges."

He cited statistics: in the first eight months of 2025, 660 fires occurred in the Mogilev Region, killing 56 people. Every third fire is caused by careless handling of fire, most often by smoking while intoxicated.ALCOHOL intoxication is the most common cause of fires. Violations involving heating equipment are in second place, followed by electrical equipment.

Large-scale evacuation drills will be held throughout the region on September 25th as part of the Unified Safety Day. Particular attention will be paid to facilities with large numbers of people, including educational institutions.

Special emphasis was placed on preparing for the heating season. Almost a quarter of all fires are stove-related. Emergency Ministry specialists remind people not to overheat stoves, use gasoline for ignition, store items near the firebox, or leave a fire unattended.

Dmitry Parkov, Head of the Law Enforcement and Prevention Department of the Public Safety Police Department of the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee, spoke about preventive work with citizens who abuse alcohol. "We work with them: we persuade them, find them jobs, and help them return to normal life. If that doesn't work, we isolate them through therapeutic and labor rehabilitation centers. There were more than 700 such cases last year," he emphasized.

AlsoPolice are checking the safety of school grounds, especially in rural areas, and patrolling recreation areas near water.

Natalia Peterson, Head of the Public HEALTH Department at the Mogilev Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Public Health, focused on the problem of smoking as one of the main causes of fires and illnesses. According to her, 23.9% of adults in the region smoke. However, 18.8% of students smoke, and 7.5% of schoolchildren smoke. 

"One in nine minors smokes. This is a huge figure in absolute terms. Our task is not only to inform but also to motivate people to give up this habit," the specialist emphasized.

She reminded that smoking is prohibited in elevators, playgrounds, entryways, and in cars with children under 14. Violations are subject to administrative penalties.