The building in Riga, damaged as a result of a gas explosion, has been designated as emergency, and its operation is prohibited, the Riga City Council informed the LETA agency.
The Department of Urban Development of the Riga Municipality has mandated the building owners to immediately engage a certified construction specialist and conduct a technical inspection of the building.
This is necessary to assess the extent of the damage, as well as to determine the conditions and necessary actions that would allow for partial operation of the building or its resumption.
After the technical inspection, a decision can be made regarding further actions, the municipality clarified.
As previously reported, as a result of a gas explosion in Torņakalns on Bauskas Street, two people died and two others were injured, the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) informed the LETA agency.
One of the deceased was an employee of the Emergency Service of JSC Gaso, who arrived in response to a call regarding a possible gas leak.
According to the State Police, during the rescue operations in an apartment on the fifth floor, another deceased person was found. According to current information, this individual may have committed a criminal act.
Simultaneously, other investigative actions are being conducted to clarify the exact circumstances of the incident. Expert examinations have been appointed.
Before the arrival of the SFRS, 35 people evacuated the building on their own, and firefighters evacuated another 11 people.
The explosion in the five-story residential building occurred due to a damaged gas pipeline. As a result of the explosion, the fourth and fifth floors of the building, as well as the roof, collapsed.
The building is managed by LLC Latvijas namsaimnieks, which contains 74 apartments, four of which belong to the municipality. According to unofficial information, the explosion occurred due to an illegal gas connection in an apartment owned by the municipality.
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