Five people were killed and several more were injured as a result of a break in the heating pipe, after which hot water flooded the premises of the Caramel mini-hotel in Perm in the basement, the press service of the regional department of the Ministry of Emergencies told RT.

“During the work on pumping out the hot coolant and checking the premises, unfortunately, five dead were found, their identities were established,” said Irina Gomzikova, head of the press service of the Ministry of Emergencies in Perm Territory.

Later, the regional Ministry of Health specified that a child was one of the victims of the tragedy.

According to Gomzikova, three victims managed to leave the premises on their own. Due to the burns they were hospitalized. One of the victims is in serious condition in the intensive care unit of the burn center. According to his manager Andrei Babikov, a woman has 35% of her body burned. Two more men are hospitalized in a state of moderate severity, they are observed by doctors. The rest refused hospitalization.

“A woman, 33 years old, arrived, the total area of ​​burn wounds - 35%. Two men also acted: a 35-year-old man has a burn wound area of ​​20%, a 28-year-old man has 15%, ”said Babikov.

Also, the press service of the regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that rescuers checked all the rooms of the hotel, and work on pumping water continues on the spot.

According to local media, the incident occurred at around 4 a.m. local time (02:00 Moscow time). Located in the basement, the Caramel Hotel is located at 21. Sovetskaya Street. The house is managed by the Profi-Dom management company. Commenting on the tragedy that occurred at the mini-hotel, they noted that one of its reasons was the breakthrough of a transit pipe built in 1962, which had been ownerless for a long time.

“For a long time, this heating system was ownerless; on December 12, 2019, it was transferred to the management of Perm Network Company LLC. Also, one of the reasons for the tragedy was that the mini-hotel was located in the basement and did not have an evacuation exit, ”the Criminal Code said.

They added that as a result of the accident, 20 houses were without hot water and heating. A special commission is sorted out in the causes of the incident, which will have to find out how hot water got into the hotel premises and why the emergency exit was closed.

As noted in the administration of the Perm Territory, an ambulance arrived at the emergency site in 10 minutes. Assistance to the victims was provided by seven ambulance crews. The governor of the Perm Territory Maxim Reshetnikov also arrived at the scene of the tragedy, who held an operational meeting

“The governor ... instructed the regional ministry of territorial security to keep the situation under control, as well as the ministry of health and the ministry of social development to provide assistance to all victims and families of the victims,” the regional administration said.

Commenting on the circumstances of the emergency, an eyewitness in an interview with the portal 59.ru said that the water reached the threshold of the mini-hotel: “The water reached the threshold of the hotel. It was boiling water. It is scary to imagine what was inside the building. I live not far here. “My wife looked out at 4:00, she sees that the doctors are standing here.”

“Investigators continue to work on the spot”

The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on the fact of the death of people under Part 3 of Art. 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("The provision of services that do not meet safety requirements, resulting in the death of two or more persons").

The head of the department, Alexander Bastrykin, instructed to transfer the case to the Central Office of the TFR. In addition, the most experienced criminologists were sent to assist Perm.

“At present, investigators from the district investigation department, forensic investigators who interrogate victims and eyewitnesses, appoint necessary forensic examinations, conduct other investigative actions aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the incident, collecting and fixing the evidence base, continue to work at the scene. After liquidation of the consequences of the accident, the investigators will begin to inspect the scene of the incident, ”said the Sledkom.

In turn, the prosecutor's office in the region instructed to conduct legal checks related to the preparation of heating networks and the organization of the hotel in this place.

“During the supervisory activities, the prosecution authorities will give a legal assessment of the legality of the actions of all participants in the process of preparing heating networks and a house for the heating period, the safety of the provision and provision of services, as well as the legality of organizing and placing citizens at this facility,” the agency’s website says.

In connection with the tragedy in Perm, the head of the Federation Council committee on federal structure and regional policy, Oleg Melnichenko, announced his intention to raise the issue of placing hotels and hostels in basements. According to him, "there should be no hostels in basements where all communications pass."

“This case will be unambiguously analyzed in our committee. At one time, we came up with an initiative to tighten the requirements for hostels, lawmakers introduced a ban on their placement in residential buildings. Apparently, the time has come to return to the topic of regulating the activities of hostels and make the necessary changes to the legislation, ”RIA Novosti quotes him.