As Moldovans prepare to celebrate Easter this Sunday, fire inspectors will check roughly 1,400 churches across the country, including 170 in Chisinau.
Each year ahead of Easter, fire inspectors visit worship centers to make sure fire safety rules are complied with and to issue recommendations, Emergencies Inspectorate spokesperson Liliana Pușcașu told IPN.
In particular, inspectors check for the presence of extinguishers and other implements. Recommendations include lighting candles only in specially designated candles and at a safe distance from flammable materials, and keep passageways clear so that fire engines and other vehicles can intervene during emergencies.
Church superiors are reminded to make sure heaters and electrical appliances are turned off when ceremonies have ended, and avoid overcrowding the churches.
In recent years, no fires have been reported in churches on Easter night. The last newsworthy incident was in April 2015, when the belfry of the Saint Demetrius Church in Chisinau went ablaze because of a short circuit.