Today in Riga, on Bauskas Street, residents of the lower floors of an apartment building severely affected by a gas explosion were given a strictly organized opportunity to briefly return to their apartments, reported the program "Panorama" (LTV1).
Each resident was given only five minutes, accompanied by rescuers, to take the essentials — documents, medications, and clothing. The building is still in an emergency state and is currently uninhabitable. Responsible authorities indicated that a thorough technical examination is necessary to assess the safety of the structures and possible further actions.
He Had Two Friends Here
This morning, rescuers continued their work. At the scene, the remains of another victim were found among the rubble. It is presumed to be a pensioner born in 1954, who attempted to illegally connect to the gas supply in his apartment.
Neighbors reported that they heard sounds of metal cutting the day before the explosion and suspect that the man was trying to cut a gas pipe that had been sealed earlier this week to connect gas illegally. The man had been living in the apartment since 2015.
"This man was a lonely pensioner, registered as low-income," commented Riga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs.
"He lived up there. The man was outdoorsy, liked to drink sometimes, and he had two friends here," said the building's caretaker Andris.
Today, building inspectors examined the structure, and according to them, it is currently uninhabitable. The condition of the building will be assessed in more detail next week.
"The building inspector examined the house and will issue a conclusion that it is in an emergency state. In that case, it cannot be used, and a technical examination will be necessary to understand if the building can be restored," explained Kleinbergs.
Residents Were Allowed to Retrieve Their Belongings
Today afternoon, residents of the lower floors were allowed to retrieve necessary items. Only one person was allowed into the apartment at a time, accompanied by rescuers, and each had only a few minutes to take what they needed. One resident, Ilze, admitted that it was difficult for her:
"Well, it’s hard, now I don’t know where to be, what to do. I stayed with a friend because we were taken to a social hotel, where there are cockroaches and other issues. No, it’s terrible there. So, we arranged with a friend. She has taken us in for now. I need to get my documents, my passport — everything is left there. I need to take the most important things, and then we’ll see."
Neighbor Inga shared that her apartment is right next to the damaged one:
"I needed to run to the bus, I was already dressed, and suddenly there was such a bang. I was in shock. I didn’t understand what happened. Then I tried to open the door. The lock from the iron door was torn out, I barely opened it. I saw that the neighbors’ door was torn out. Everything was in smoke. The child said — gas is coming to us. There was smoke in the stairwell."
This evening, a fence was erected around the house, and the building was secured to prevent looting of residents' property.
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