Big Fire at Top University in Uzbekistan; No Casualties Reported

Firefighters in Uzbekistan have extinguished a large blaze that broke out at the Tashkent State Agrarian University, a leading institution in Central Asia that has extensive international links and whose sprawling grounds include offices of some Uzbek government agencies. Videos of the fire on Monday evening showed flames almost completely engulfing a building and burning on other structures as well. Smoke billowed into the night sky. Sirens were heard as emergency responders converged on the area. “No information has been received about any injuries or fatalities as a result of the incident,” Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement. Firefighting crews received a report of a fire at the university at 8:10 p.m. and were on the scene at 8:17 p.m., according to the ministry. It said the fire was completely extinguished by 10:10 p.m. and that its minister, Maj. Gen. Abdulla Kuldashev, personally oversaw efforts to put out the fire. There were no immediate reports on the cause of the blaze. The fire started on the roof of the Forestry Agency building and affected three buildings in total, according to Gazeta.uz reporters who were on the scene. The Uzbek media outlet said the 28-hectare campus is also home to Agriculture Ministry offices and facilities of some international organizations. Forbes Ag, a North Carolina-based agricultural consulting firm, said last week that it was assisting the “bright young minds” at the Tashkent State Agrarian University on issues of sustainable farming. USAID said in August that seven students from the Tashkent university were in a two-month research program at the University of Missouri. Last week, a member of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization visited the campus to discuss dangerous chemicals and pesticides, and a university delegation was traveling in China. The university has had contacts with numerous other countries. In a statement, Bobur Tolaganov, spokesperson for the Tashkent Regional Department of Internal Affairs, said that a criminal investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire.