Teen drowns in Ciadyr-Lunga pond as helpless mates look on

A teenage boy, 16, drowned in a pond in the Gagauz autonomy while his mates looked on helplessly. Tatiana Corceac, spokesperson for the Civil Protection & Emergencies Service, has told Info-Prim Neo that the boys went to a pond in Cadyr-Lunga town for a typical summer swim. They took a boat and ventured approximately 50 meters from the shore when one of the boys jumped into the water. Apparently he suffered an epileptic seizure and drowned as his friends watched helplessly. A rescue team is still searching for the body. Last night the residents of a Chisinau apartment building on Traian Blvd. were alerted by the smoke that engulfed the staircase. Crews from Botanica district discovered electrical panels burning from the 1st throughout the 10th floor. After the firefighters put out the fire, they detected that the cause was a short-circuit. Damages are still to be estimated. 7 fires occurred over the past day and night, taking this year's figure to 1021, with 109 casualties. 31 persons drowned this year, 22 of whom during the summer.