An early 19th century wooden estate of Feodor Slepushkin, a friend of Alexander Pushkin, has taken fire.

      The destruction of the uninhabited memorial building coincided with the time of starting works on housebreaking within the project of renovating the area by the SPb Renovation company.

      As a result of the fire in the desolate two-storeyed estate - an acknowledged cultural heritage site - in 1, Slavyanskaya Street, the top floor, attic and roof have been damaged.  “The firefighters stood very long time looking at the flames before they started to extinguish it” - a witness of the fire writes. Out of over 50 constructions there Slepushkin's House is the only building which was planned to be preserved in the settlement within the project of its renovation.

      Feodor Slepushkin was an outstanding national poet whose works were published in the Otechestvennye Zapiski (Notes of the Fatherland) literary journal meant for well-educated liberals of the 19th century. His house in Ust Slavyanka settlement already faced the attempts of demolition in 2008. However, then the city defenders managed to save it. Now it is in private ownership.