Three people got poisoned by fumes and died on Sunday. In all three cases, the fires were allegedly caused by smoldering cigarettes, IPN reports.

The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations said that in a house in Tarasova village of Rezina district, the flames engulfed an annex of 18 square meters. The fire was completely extinguished in over an hour, but the 57-year-old owner of the house could not be saved.

Another fire occurred in a house in Dumbrăvița village of Sângerei district. Locals managed to extinguish the fire and take the owner of the house, a 48-year-old man, out of the house. However, he was no longer alive.

In a house in Strășeni. Town, the flames damaged goods and the roof of the building. Three teams of rescuers and firefighters struggled to contain the fire. Inside the house they found the body of a 46-year-old man.

Preliminarily, it was established that all the three fires were the result of careless smoking.

Rescuers urge the people to avoid smoking indoors, especially near easily flammable materials. Cigarettes should be extinguished in the ashtray with a little water, and then thrown in the trash can.

As many as 21 people died in the 228 fires that occurred so far this year.