Maria Shurochkina, two-time Olympic champion, hurt in Moscow fire By Thiago Lemos
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Two-time Olympic champion Maria Shurochkina was admitted to intensive care in Moscow after her clothes caught fire while she refilled a bioethanol fireplace at her home on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Russian media reports described her condition as serious, while her sister, singer Nyusha, said on Monday that the swimmer was stable.
The fire broke out in a four-room apartment on the 17th floor of a building on Bagrytskogo Street, according to the Moscow office of the Russian Emergencies Ministry (MChS). The blaze damaged personal belongings and furniture, and the ministry said one person was handed over to medics. Accounts from the scene say neighbors called emergency services after hearing her cries for help and found her on a stairwell.
A preliminary version points to a breach of the rules for operating bio-fireplaces. The Sklifosovsky Institute for Emergency Medicine, where she was taken, is the hospital treating her.
Where the burns are and what doctors are checking
Reports describe burns on several areas of her body, and Nyusha said her sister’s head and face were not injured, although the body was burned. A figure of 32% of the body surface affected has circulated in Russian media, but neither the hospital nor the family has confirmed it.
- Head and scalp, according to some early reports
- Neck
- Chest and rib cage
- Abdomen
- Arms and hands
Doctors are also checking for tissue necrosis, the death of damaged skin and underlying tissue. The condition is a suspicion so far, not a confirmed diagnosis, and reports say treatment could include several surgeries, including skin grafts.
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Two Olympic golds and state honors behind a decorated career
Shurochkina won team gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics and repeated the feat at the Tokyo 2020 Games, which were held in 2021. She also won 11 world titles and six European titles, and she holds the honorary title of Merited Master of Sport of Russia, a state sports distinction.
She retired from competition four years ago and then moved into aquatic theater productions. She is the younger sister of pop singer Nyusha, and the two won the second season of the TV show The Emperor’s Treasures on TNT.
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Reports also say Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded her two state honors:
- Order of Friendship, in 2016
- Order of Honor, in 2021
The Russian Aquatics Federation said it had contacted the hospital and the swimmer’s relatives and was ready to offer any necessary support. The federation said it would keep following her situation.
