Ufa investigators open construction-safety case after roof fire

Investigators in Ufa opened a criminal case after a fire on the roof of a five-storey residential building on Rikhard Zorge Street, the regional Investigative Committee said on October 10.

The blaze broke out on Friday during major roof repairs. Investigators said the building's pitched roof caught fire. The regional emergency ministry separately confirmed the fire in an operational report.

The case concerns a suspected breach of construction safety rules causing major damage through negligence under Part 1 of Article 216 of Russia's Criminal Code. Ufa's Sovetsky District investigative department is handling it.

Two workers were injured. Investigators described the damage to apartment owners as substantial, but its final value remains under assessment.

Specialists are establishing the cause and identifying who was responsible for safety during the repairs. The published statement names no defendants and does not establish that a particular violation has been proved.

Opening the case allows examination of the work and the fire's consequences. The committee has not announced final findings on causation or responsibility.