RUSSIA, April 1: Aman Tuleyev, the longtime governor of Russia’s Kemerovo region where a huge shopping mall fire killed at least 64 people last weekend, has resigned.

“I submitted my resignation letter to the Russian president,” he said in a three-minute video address released by his office on Sunday.

Tuleyev, who had been at the helm of the key coal-mining region since 1997, said he could no longer remain at his post with “such a heavy burden” and added that his resignation was “the only right choice”.

At least 64 people – including 41 children – died when a huge fire ravaged a mall in the industrial city of Kemerovo in western Siberia last Sunday.

The disaster – in which some parents lost all their children – shocked Russia. Many people who lost relatives have said they died because of the inaction of firefighters and police lacking the necessary equipment and skills.

Tuleyev himself came under heavy criticism for failing to visit the scene of the tragedy in the first few days or meet angry relatives.

President Vladimir Putin had initially refused to sack the 73-year-old governor despite rare protests in the city.

Officials have said that multiple safety rules were violated, the fire alarm system was not working and staff did not follow correct emergency procedures.

 
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• resigns
 
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