News

The Kamchatka Territory authorities of the Investigative Committee continue investigation into a crime under Part 3 of Article 238 of the RF Penal Code (Fulfillment of Works or Rendering of Services Which Do Not Meet Safety Standards that have entailed by negligence the death of two or more persons) after dead bodies of three 8-year-old boys with thermal burns were found in the evening on 28 January 2016, at the heating main chamber filled with hot water.

Two pipe-fitters of PAO Kamchatskenergo were detained on 4 February 2016 on suspicion of the crime. Restraint is under discussion.

According to investigators, from 21 to 26 January 2016, a leak of water 106 degrees above zero appeared in a pipe in the chamber of a heating main located 30 meters away from School No 1 in the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the roof of the chamber collapsed which required quick repairs.

On 26 January 2016, workers of the first section of heat networks of the branch of PAO Kamchatskenergo, Kamchatka Heat and Power Plants, pumped out the water from the chamber, set a clip on a delivery pipeline and blocked the hole with the material they had at hand, parts of a woodchip board.

Due to the fact that the workers failed to repair the leakage or replace the roof of the chamber, and they did not set fencing and caution signs that would warn the citizens about danger in this part of the city, the three 8-year-old boys fell into the chamber. The children died on the scene of overheating, the effect of excessive heat coming from an artificial source.

It was reported earlier that the head of the first section of heat networks of the branch of PAO Kamchatskenergo, Kamchatka Heat and Power Stations, has been charged with a crime under Part 3 of Article 238 of the RF Penal Code. Following the request of investigators, a court has ruled to remand the man in custody pending trial.

A 43-year-old foreman of the first section of heat networks of the branch of PAO Kamchatskenergo, Kamchatka Heat and Power Stations who repaired the leakage, has been arrested. He also was charged with a crime under Part 3 of Article 238 of the RF Penal Code.

The Investigative Committee has been and will be paying special attention to the accidents and crimes that victimize children. No-one guilty of such crimes will get away with them independent of positions of those people.