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Heads of two settlements in trans-Baikal Territory to stand trial for negligence

The Trans-Baikal Territory investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee have finished investigation against two heads of local governments. Head of the town of Novokruchininskoye Mikhail Lednyov is charged with negligence, that is failure to execute his duties entailing large damage (part 1 of article 293 of the RF Penal Code). Head of the village of Kazanovskoye Miktor Komogortsev is charged with negligence entailing death of a person (part 2 of article 293 of the RF Penal Code).

According to investigators, the accused failed to ensure fire safety as a result of negligent attitude to their job. This way Lednyov failed to dig fire lines around the town of Novokruchininskoye, failed to clear the town from fallen leaves and other possible fuel for fire. Komogortsev failed to clear an unauthorized dump and did not use a fire alarm to warn the population about a fire.

As a result of the officials’ negligence, on 13 April 2015, a wildfire freely got in Novokruchininskoye and destroyed completely or partially houses, summer cottages and other property of 20 residents of the town worth about 7 million rubles. In the village of Kazanovo, a fire spread from the dump and caused damage to over 30 families, causing damage of more than 17 million rubles. In addition, a 65-year-old woman died of a heart failure triggered by carbon monoxide inhalation when she had not been evacuated in time from her burning house.

The accused pleaded guilty. The investigators have enough evidence, so the criminal case with the approved indictment has been sent to court to be tried on the merits.