Trial of Official Over Abandoned Boiler Room Injury

Andrei Artamonov, project manager of the capital construction department of the Municipal Unitary Enterprise «Volgograd Communal Services» (MUP «Volgogradskoye Kommunalnoye Khozyaystvo»), will be tried for negligence that led to serious injuries to a teenager. The incident occurred in an abandoned boiler room in the Krasnooktyabrsky district of Volgograd.

The tragedy occurred on September 1 last year. After school, the 13-year-old schoolgirl changed clothes at home and went to a friend«s house but did not return. The girl was found two days later, on September 3, in the basement of a disused boiler room at 1 Severny Gorodok Street. The victim was hospitalized in serious condition and required surgery.

According to the investigation, the boiler room had not been operational for more than 15 years and had been declared dilapidated and subject to demolition. However, no measures were taken to restrict access or dismantle it.

«The accused was obliged to monitor the condition of facilities on the enterprise«s balance sheet, promptly identify dangerous structures, take measures to restrict access to them, and organize work to eliminate them,» the Investigative Committee reported. «But measures to dismantle the facility and restrict access to its territory were not taken.»

A criminal case has been opened against Andrei Artamonov on charges of negligence that inadvertently caused serious harm to health. The case materials were submitted to the Krasnooktyabrsky District Court of Volgograd on January 27.