Experts abandon plans to blow up collapsed building in Volgograd

In Volgograd, the multi-storey building collapsed in the explosion will not be demolished through blasting. This was reported by an official of the administration of the Volgograd Region.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 20, in Volgograd, an explosion occurred in No. 47 in Cosmonauts Street, and as a result, a block of the building collapsed. 12 people were hospitalized, and the bodies of five deceased persons were found. Experts have recognized the building as a subject to demolition.

On December 26, the search and rescue operations were suspended to enable the expert group to carry out the detailed survey of the building. On December 27, tenants completed to transport their belongings out of the building. The search operations and the work to remove ruins were resumed on December 28.

"The tenants of the nearby houses have contacted us. They are concerned that the destruction of the building through blasting can damage their property and is dangerous in general," said Alexei Ulyanov, the chairman of the "Public Independent Inspection".

"Since the building is dilapidated and it has suffered as a result of an incident, it will be demolished by the bodies of the local self-administration, perhaps, together with the Ministry for Emergencies (MfE)," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by an official from the administration of the Volgograd Region.

At present, the building is cordoned off by a metal fence. According to the regional administration, the building will be guarded by the police till its demolition.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.