Heating Restored in Karabas After Utility Accident

Karabas, a town in Russia's Chelyabinsk region, went without heating for nearly ten days after a utility pipe burst in temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F).

Mar 5, 2026

Heating in Karabas has been restored, work inside buildings continues, and criminal cases have been initiated over the incident.
Source:
Valery Zvonarev

Heating has been restored in Karabas following a utility accident. Recall that on January 20, a pipe burst on the heating main. That same day, the air temperature outside dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius (-22°F). The city is home to about 10,000 residents, many of whom are elderly people and families with children. Thousands of Karabas residents in over thirty buildings were left without heating.

Frozen and brittle old pipes resisted all repair attempts during the extreme cold spell.
Source:
Valery Zvonarev

At first, everything followed the standard script: an emergency crew arrived at the scene, but the cold and the condition of the pipes hindered their work. The repair teams could not cope. Frozen sections of the heating main could not be restored: in the frost, the metal became brittle as glass. Ice plugs formed in the basements. It was impossible to gauge how long it would take to eliminate the emergency.

Volunteers provided warmth and assistance to citizens at specially set up heating points.
Source:
Valery Zvonarev

Then not only official structures but also employees of the city-forming industrial enterprise began to act. How it unfolded chronologically is in the photo report from Karabas.

Additional technical equipment and repair teams arrived from nearby towns to support the effort.
Source:
Valery Zvonarev

Heating Centers Opened and Volunteers Assisted

Among those who came to help without specific orders was «Karabashmed» (Karabash Copper, the city-forming plant). Workers from the city-forming factory took torches, special clothing, and descended into the basements along with the emergency crews. They thawed the risers, helped volunteers deliver water, blankets, and food. On the basis of their sports and wellness complex, they opened a free bathhouse so residents could wash and warm up.

Neighbors Answered the Call

The regional government took control of the situation, and Vice-Governor Andrey Faleichik traveled to Karabas. Repair teams arrived from other cities in the Chelyabinsk region. They brought not only people but also equipment: mobile generators, heat guns, equipment for flushing pipes. They worked until the section was fixed. One of the masters sympathized: «We»ve had frosts too. We know how hard it is.«

Rescuers with a Miracle Device

The emergency rescue squad «RMK Poisk» (Russian Mining Company Search) arrived at the accident site with a UMP-400 — a universal motor heater. The unit was purchased specifically for the extreme situation in Karabas. An identical one operates in the conditions of the Far North. The device looks like a truck with five flexible hoses that blow hot air at temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius (122°F). Before this, risers were thawed manually — one by one, for hours, with gas torches. The miracle machine allowed simultaneously heating the basement, entrance, and several apartments. As stated by «RMK-Poisk», the work speed increased fivefold.

Deputy director of the squad, Timur Gainullin, explained:

«We didn»t just heat the air. We heated the walls. When the wall is warm, heat from the pipes is better transferred and the water in the system starts circulating faster.«

Volunteers from «Sila Urala» (Power of the Urals) delivered food, heaters, and clothing. They went from apartment to apartment, checking who needed help, especially the elderly, the lonely, and families with small children.

What«s Next?

By the weekend, the city gradually began returning to normal routine. According to utility workers, they need to check the entire network, replace damaged sections, and ensure that no new accidents occur. Work inside buildings continues. Criminal cases have been initiated against the resource-supplying and management companies.