Short answers, pulled from the story.
Nikolai Nikitin designed the Ostankino Tower after dreaming of an upside-down lilium flower. He proposed a solid reinforced concrete structure instead of steel lattice designs to ensure stability against strong winds.
Work began on the site in 1959 creating a dedicated town for workers. The grand opening occurred in 1967 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution while remaining works finished by 1969.
A devastating blaze engulfed the Seventh Heaven restaurant at 460 meters above ground around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Three fatalities occurred as a result when an elevator cabin crashed to ground level and only 19 out of 150 steel cables remained intact.
The tower stands as the tallest free-standing structure in Europe today at 540 meters. It remains the 15th tallest structure in the world after losing its global record to the CN Tower in Toronto in 1974.
Residents in Balashikha, Voskresensk, and Zelenograd could see the tower under favorable weather conditions. Approximately 15 million people across Moscow and surrounding regions were within the transmitter coverage area by 2014.