The key facts
- Maria Shurochkina was hospitalized at the Sklifosovsky Institute of Emergency Medicine with first- and second-degree burns
- According to Mash na sporte, the burns cover 32% of her body, and her condition was reclassified from moderate to severe
- The presumed cause of the fire is a bio-fireplace that the athlete was refueling
Fire in an apartment on Bagritsky Street
Two-time Olympic champion in synchronized swimming Maria Shurochkina has been hospitalized after a fire in her apartment. This was reported during the day on November 9 by Life.ru, citing the Telegram channel SHOT and Gazeta.Ru. The fire broke out at approximately 23:00 Moscow time in a four-room apartment on the 17th floor of a residential complex on Bagritsky Street in Moscow. Witnesses said that flames were visible from the street, and thick smoke filled the stairwell, making it hard for residents to breathe.
How the athlete was found and rescued
According to witnesses, during the evacuation neighbors heard cries for help and sobbing and found the 31-year-old athlete on the staircase. The Telegram channel Mash na sporte specified that Shurochkina herself put out the burning clothes and left the apartment on her own with severe burns, in a state of shock, after which a neighbor called an ambulance. Other residents of the building, according to this information, were not injured. The victim was taken to the Sklifosovsky Institute of Emergency Medicine.
Cause of the fire and the victim's condition
It was initially reported that furniture and personal belongings had burned in the apartment, and the cause of the fire was being established. Later, Mash na sporte, citing its sources, named a bio-fireplace as the likely cause: according to this version, the athlete's clothing caught fire while she was refueling the device. Both outlets cite this version with reference to a Telegram channel; it has not yet received official confirmation.
Deterioration of her condition
During the day, reports came in about the champion's condition worsening. According to Mash na sporte, as cited by Gazeta.Ru and Life.ru, the burn area increased to 32% of the body's surface, and her condition was reclassified from moderate to severe due to a threat to life: we are talking about the risk of burn shock, dehydration, and infectious complications. It is stated that the skin of the head, neck, chest, abdomen, arms, and hands is damaged, which impairs blood circulation and creates a risk of tissue necrosis. According to preliminary information, the athlete may require several operations, including skin grafts. Life.ru separately notes the possible danger of synthetic clothing, which at high temperatures can stick to damaged tissue.
Who is Maria Shurochkina
Maria Shurochkina is a two-time Olympic champion in synchronized swimming (the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo 2020, held in 2021), an 11-time world champion, and an Honored Master of Sports of Russia. She is the younger sister of the singer Nyusha and the daughter of Vladimir Shurochkin, a member of the group Laskoviy May. The athlete is also known as the winner of the second season of the reality show 'The Emperor's Treasures' on TNT.
