From the retired colonel, 1963 - 1970. For the memories of the head of the Fire Department of the Ministry of the Interior, Romanas Baranovskis, about his service in the fire department during the Soviet era:
"Being in the position of chief, I drove to the biggest fires. If everything was in order, I did not interfere, but if the situation became critical, I took charge of the work. Everything had to be reported to the local bosses, who then called Moscow.
During the Soviet years, every third paper was classified as secret. Formally, there were no fires, they were not allowed to be talked about or photographed. The number of fires per year was also secret information. Some fires are particularly memorable. For example, Zujeva (the head of the Fire Department before R. Baranovska) was removed from his post after the fire at the Philharmonic, and me after the fire when the Archers' monument was burning.
These events were attracted as a political matter. That year was Lenin's 100th anniversary, and it was believed that the archers' monument was destroyed on purpose. In the temporary shed where the monument was built, the heating unit was working in cold weather, which exploded and caused a fire. I was removed from the ranks of Communist Party members. The minister defended me, but also reprimanded him..."