According to established data, the Kan expert organization from Ufa conducted an industrial safety audit of the main heating pipeline in Penza in 2018 and issued a positive conclusion based on its results.
“The provision of ... services ... of inadequate quality by experts was one of the reasons for the failure to conduct timely repair and restoration work, which led to the destruction of the pipeline and human casualties," RIA Novosti quoted Svetlana Artamonov as the senior assistant to the regional prosecutor.
In particular, during the inspection, “critical thinning of the pipeline wall thickness” from 2 to 4 mm was not revealed.
The prosecutor’s office clarified that the materials regarding the persons conducting the examination were sent to the investigating authorities to resolve the issue of instituting criminal proceedings against them for the provision of services that do not meet safety requirements, resulting in the death of two persons through negligence.
Earlier, the government of Penza admitted that the concrete slab of the heating main could not withstand the pressure due to the increased load of vehicles.
On November 19, in a parking lot near a store in Penza, the car crashed into a pit of boiling water formed due to a collapse of the ground, resulting in the death of two men born in 1966 and 1970.