The Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee continues investigation in mass wildfires in Khakassia that happened on 12 April 2015 and killed 31 people in Shira, Ust-Abakan, Beya and Ordzhonikidze Districts. In addition, over 1.5 thousand victims applied for medical aid, over 1.5 thousand houses were burned down, over 50 houses were damaged by the wildfires and 1.6 thousand other buildings burned.
The third suspect detained is Head of Shira rural settlement, Shira District Yuri Kovalyov, 48. He is charged with a crime under part 3 of article 293 of the RF Penal Code (negligence). Following a request filed by investigators a court has ruled to remand him in custody.
It has been revealed that Kovalyov failed to discharge his duty properly when in the period between 3 and 12 April 2015 he did not control the execution of an ordinance on special fire regime, failed to take measures to plow around settlements in Shira District to protect them against wildfires, to remove an unauthorized dumpsite which later became one of the seats of fires and failed to organize warning of the people when on 12 April 2015 the wildfires became mass. Such omission caused grave consequences – 12 people were killed in wildfires in Shira District, many more were injured, property was damaged or destroyed.
We remind that Chief of a department of the Shira District fire service Viktor Zenkov and Chief of Khakassia Fire Service Anatoly Zayarny were detained earlier. They were charged with a crime under part 3 of article 293 of the RF Penal Code (negligence). Both of them are under arrest.
According to investigators, Zenkov, aware of spreading wildfires and that it was necessary to declare 3rd level of danger failed to attend the site in person or organize evacuation of people and their property, did not order a dispatcher of the fire service to inform the central fire communication unit about the class of the fire and request additional forces for firefighting operations. In his turn Zayarny, who headed the fire service in the republic between 2010 and 2015, failed to provide enough fire equipment (the republic was over 30% short of equipment) and enough people under the current regulations. The said resulted in the fact that the fire service was no ready to mass wildfires and there was not enough equipment to contain and put out the ones that raged on 12 April 2015. During the probe the investigators are going to find out what the money allocated to buy fire equipment had been spent on.
A lot of investigative operations have been carried out since the probe started. More than 200 searches and seizures have been conducted in the Government of Khakassia, civil defense, emergency situations and fire safety divisions of the republican Government, fire service, divisions of the Emergencies Ministry Main Office for Khakassia, other agencies, administrations of districts and rural settlements. More than 1,000 people have been recognized victims and questioned, forensic medical inquiries have been assigned or are being run for the injured and those treated in hospitals. The work with the victims goes on constantly. More than 150 people from among officials of executive authorities and local government have been questioned.
At present the following forensic inquiries are underway: fire, chemical, commission medical ones. The investigators are also checking if the facts of misapplication or inefficient use of funds allocated for fire control measures had taken place.
The investigation is ongoing.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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