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Investigation into a fire in illegal nursing home entailing death of 7 persons completed

The Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia completed investigation of a probe into Olga Williamson accused of committing offences under Part 1 of Article 171, Part 3 of Article 238, Part 3 of Article 109, Article 168 of the Criminal Code of Russia (illegal entrepreneurship; rendering of services that do not meet safety requirements; infliction of death by negligence; destruction of someone else’s property by negligence).

It was established that Williamson organized an illegal nursing home in her private home. Since 2015, she conducted illegal entrepreneurial activities in the home, related to the provision of care services for the elderly and disabled. Over six years she received an income of more than 8 million rubles. At the same time, according to the investigation, the services provided did not meet the requirements of fire safety and sanitary and epidemiological safety.

In January 2021 there was a fire in the bathhouse, then the fire spread to a house where were elderly people, as well as a neighbor's bathhouse. As a result, 7 people died. According to investigators, Williamson's violation of fire safety rules was the cause of the fire. Also, the defendant, fearing that her illegal activities would become known, concealed information about the presence of seven elderly people in the house from firefighters and people who offered to help evacuate.

In the near future the Tyumen District Court of Tyumen region will begin to consider the merits of this criminal case.

Official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Russia S. Petrenko

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