Gas Explosion Victim in Ussuriysk Expresses Helplessness Over Probe

Five days after the explosion that destroyed a private house on Vojnij Street in Ussuriysk, the health condition of the victim, homeowner Galina, and her husband has not significantly changed, but new details about the investigation into the cause of the tragedy have emerged.

The woman told VLADIVOSTOK1.RU that today was the funeral of her mother, who died in an ambulance immediately after the house explosion, but instead of grieving with family, the victim had to return to the hospital ward.

‘My condition, you could say, is still the same. I have surgery on my hand only in February, now they are treating the burns. I have no complaints about the hospital, the doctors are good,’ Galina said.

Her husband Vladimir is also continuing treatment. According to the woman, he will be discharged earlier, and then the family can start restoring documents and solving everyday issues.

The victim noted that representatives of the Ussuriysk administration contacted the family and offered temporary housing, but for that, it is necessary to restore documents lost in the explosion.

‘To restore documents, I need to be discharged, but my surgery is only in February. So, most likely, we will deal with it in February. Then housing should be allocated,’ the woman explained.

According to her, she hasn«t thought yet about who and how will help with document restoration, probably the city hall will help too.

‘Honestly, now is not the time for that. First of all, we need to get better,’ Galina added.

All issues related to the house and investigative actions on the site are now handled by the victim«s sister, Kristina, as well as other relatives. Galina herself admitted that everything happening is causing her strong emotional stress.

‘I feel helpless, that«s the hardest part. I should be there, to monitor everything, but I can»t. Relatives help as they can. Everything I know is from their words,’ she shared.

The victim«s sister said that initially, investigative authorities checked the version of a gas cylinder explosion, but according to her, no evidence was found.

‘They searched for a torn cylinder for two days, combed through everything. Then they realized there was no cylinder. There was no gas stove in the house either,’ the victim conveyed.

After that, according to the woman, specialists began work on the gas main running near the site.

‘They started digging up the main. Apparently, they realized there was a rupture there. They said it was already late and would continue the next day. But when my relatives returned to the site in the morning, they saw that the pipe was already cut. And precisely in the place where there were so-called «frost channels» underground — traces of gas,’ Galina explained.

According to her, the investigator could not immediately explain the reason for these actions, and later stated that the pipe was allegedly damaged by a bucket during earthworks.

‘First they said the pipe was intact, then that it was damaged. There«s some misinformation going on,’ Galina noted.

The woman added that she showed video of the underground «frost channels» to an EMERCOM (Ministry of Emergency Situations) employee who was working on drawing up a diagram of the destroyed house.

‘He watched, and his eyes even rounded. He said that yes — these are traces from gas,’ Galina asserts.

According to the victim, now, from neighbors« words, work on the site and investigation into the causes of the explosion are continuing. Official conclusions about the origin of the gas and source of the explosion have still not been announced.

In Ussuriysk, a private house on Vojnij Street was completely destroyed as a result of a gas explosion on the afternoon of January 15. Three people were under the rubble: one woman died, two — her daughter and son-in-law — sustained severe injuries and continue treatment in the city hospital.

Everything known about the tragedy on Vojnij Street in Ussuriysk has been gathered in our story via the link.