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Sentence passed over accused of fire in mental hospital in Moscow Region that killed 38 people

A court has recognized the evidence collected by the first department of the Investigative Committee’s Central Office sufficient to convict former chief doctor of department No 6 of Mental Hospital No 14 Murad Shaov and his security deputy chief Mikhail Khokhlov. They were found guilty of fire safety breach entailing death of two or more people under Part 3 of Article 219 of the RF Penal Code.

The court and investigators have revealed that the building of the hospital was a reception and quarantine room since January 2011 and consisted of a wooden part built in 1940 and a brick one built in 1976-1977 by non-contracted construction. 38 patients with mental disorders of different gravity in the hospital, as well as a ward nurse on call and two nurse’s aides were in the hospital on the night of 25 April 2013. One of the patients accidentally set fire to a couch in the wooden part of the building. Only the nurse and two patients survived the fire. 36 patients and two nurse’s aides died.

The reasons that led to the fire were violations of fire safety rules and requirements by the two accused. It turned out that the employees of the hospital permitted to work had had no fire safety briefing and were nor ready for an emergency. Moreover, there were not enough staff to take measures and save the patients. The fire escapes had some violations and there were no fire safety instructions whatsoever.

Apart from confessions made by Shaov and Khokhlov, their guilt was also confirmed by all the evidence collected during the probe: scene examination protocols, physical evidence, statements made by the staff of the Moscow Region Health Ministry and the mental hospital, conclusions of forensic experts and other evidence.

The court has sentenced Shaov and Khokhlov to 4.5 years in prison each, but both of them were released due to an amnesty announced for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War.

 

Acting Head of Media Relations                                                                                                                S.L. Petrenko