Makarskys Give Concert in Icy Cultural Palace While Wearing Valenki and Hats
Heating problems arose in Rybinsk due to an accident on the heating networks.
In Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Region, artists Anton and Victoria Makarsky had to perform in the icy hall of the Vympel Palace of Culture. The performance was nearly canceled due to a utilities emergency. The building, like the entire microdistrict, had no heating on January 31. The Makarskys shared this on their social media.
On the morning of February 2, work began in Rybinsk to fix defects on the pipelines.
«We will never forget this live concert in our lives!» they wrote.
The artists shared a blanket with audience members in the hall who were freezing.
In a conversation with 76.RU, Victoria Makarskaya shared that they only learned about the heating network accident and the lack of heating at the cultural palace upon arrival. At the time, the temperature outside was -20°C (-4°F).
«Our administrator Oksanochka immediately did everything possible. She gathered all the warm clothes. She found some red valenki (traditional felt boots) from Santa Claus»s props somewhere. We had to bundle up,« Victoria Makarskaya told 76.RU.
The team didn«t even consider postponing the concert; the musicians went out to the audience in Rybinsk wearing hats. Victoria wore several pairs of tights under her dress, and instead of shoes, she wore the red valenki.
«The audience also sat in the hall in their outerwear. We were sure that the audience wouldn»t come, since heating was cut off in the entire district, and it was very cold in the palace of culture. But the audience, thank God, all came. And no one left; our concert lasted even longer than usual. More than two hours. The concert was incredibly joyful,« Victoria said.
However, the adventures did not end there.
«All the audience noted that freezing air and cold were coming from the stage. We couldn»t understand where from. Later, after the concert, it turned out that the cold air blast was turned on instead of the warm one,« Victoria shared.
Due to the cold, the equipment shut down during the second half of the concert. For some time, the artists had to sing a cappella. After a reboot, the equipment did start working. There were many circumstances hindering the concert, but Victoria noted that everything went wonderfully.
«I really love Rybinsk — it»s a special city, with very intelligent people. They have a taste for music. The concert felt like we were at home. As if friends and family had come to us. It was really great,« the singer shared.
Why There Was No Heating in the Palace of Culture
As reported by 76.RU from the Vympel Palace of Culture, heating problems in the building have been noted for a long time.
«We have a reduced supply schedule from the boiler house. I can»t say what this is related to. We have centralized heating. Since the beginning of the heating season, problems have been occurring throughout the Severny microdistrict, where we are located,« reported the cultural palace.
According to the company Teploresurs Rybinsk, heating problems in Rybinsk began due to a leak on January 30. It was detected around 8:00 PM in a heat chamber between houses No. 3 and 5 on Lizy Chaykinoy Street.
«The inspection revealed multiple defects on pipelines with diameters from 200 to 400 mm. This situation is due to critical wear and deterioration of the distribution networks in this section,» clarified Teploresurs Rybinsk.
At the same time, the company noted that they couldn«t fix the accident over the weekend due to frosts below -20°C (-4°F), since the temperature of the heat carrier was raised above 100°C (212°F). Working with such steam in a closed chamber is dangerous for personnel.
«In the Severny microdistrict, houses with top-fill systems predominate. Under severe cold conditions, a complete stop of circulation even for two hours would lead to freezing of in-house systems. Repairs on such a scale require significantly more time,» added the utilities workers.
On the morning of February 2, the company reported that they had begun to eliminate the accident in Severny.
«Specialists from the emergency team performed a technical shutdown of the network section on Lizy Chaykinoy Street and opened the heat chamber. <…> At the moment, the presence of two defects has been confirmed, but a final assessment of the pipeline condition and determination of the full scope of necessary work will only be possible after pumping out the heat carrier and drying the section,» clarified Teploresurs Rybinsk.
The Problem Has Lasted for More Than a Year
According to the production and technical division of Yaroblvodokanal on February 1, more than 30 houses in Rybinsk were left without heating. Local residents have been complaining about heating problems for more than a year, while authorities explain the issue by the deterioration of pipes in the city.
In 2019, a concession agreement was signed between MUP Teploenergo and LLC Rybinskaya Generatsiya — a subsidiary of JSC TGC-2. According to the contract, Rybinsk«s boiler houses and heating networks were planned to be transferred to Rybinskaya Generatsiya for 20 years. The company promised to invest in the reconstruction of facilities, pay off debts, and subsequently receive income from the sale and supply of heat energy. All this resulted in a criminal case being initiated, with defendants including a deputy, the former first deputy head of Rybinsk, and the son of a Yaroslavl Region deputy.
At the end of 2021, residents of Rybinsk were left without heating for several days. Former city head Denis Dobryakov reported on the convening of an emergency commission due to the heating situation. In 2022, Rybinsk residents appealed to Governor Mikhail Yevrayev with a complaint that due to the cold, they had to sleep dressed. And in 2023, during January frosts, a serious accident occurred on the heating networks on Plekhanov Street.
