Two injured in Barnaul heating-main rupture as 24 buildings remain without heat

Two people were injured when a heating main ruptured on Popova Street in Barnaul, the regional Investigative Committee said. Siberian Generating Company reported that 24 residential buildings remained without heating while repairs continued.

Hot water escaped from the main near 166A Popova Street. Investigators opened a preliminary inquiry under Part 1 of Article 238 of Russia's Criminal Code, concerning services that fail to meet safety requirements. They will examine the actions of heating-company officials.

The regional prosecutor's office is also checking compliance with residents' housing and utility rights, spokesperson Maria Antoshkina said. Prosecutor Nikolai Ryabov ordered the review, and the repair work is being monitored.

Siberian Generating Company said a crew of 13 people and five specialist vehicles was repairing the damaged main. Most affected customers had been switched to another main, restoring supplies where heating had been absent in the morning. The city administration had initially reported an interruption affecting 17 apartment buildings, a school and a kindergarten.

The company's latest outage list covered the following addresses in Industrialny District: 4, 8, 8/2, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 on 280-letiya Barnaula Street, and 41, 45, 49 and 53 on 65 let Pobedy Street.

Heating was also suspended at 150, 154 and 158 Popova Street, at 1, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17 and 19 Sergeya Semenova Street, and at 271 and 271A Pavlovsky Trakt while the damage was being repaired.