Today at 17:00, the Department of Housing and Environment of the Riga City Council will organize a meeting of the co-owners of the apartments in the building on Bauskas Street, which was affected by the gas explosion, where the issue of engaging a certified construction engineer for the examination of the building's condition will be decided, the municipality reported, LETA writes.
It was previously reported that the building has been declared emergency and its operation is prohibited. The Department of Urban Development has mandated the owners of the house to immediately invite a certified construction specialist and conduct a technical inspection of the building.
This is necessary to assess the extent of the damage, determine the conditions for partial operation, and possible recovery scenarios.
The Department of Housing and Environment has already announced a price survey, and the services of the construction specialist will be paid for by the municipality.
It was also reported that additional assistance will be provided to the affected residents. The Riga Civil Defense Commission decided on Sunday to extend the temporary accommodation period from five to fifteen days. Until permanent housing is obtained, the affected residents will be able to move into municipal housing at 49 Unijas Street, as well as utilize the services of other housing-providing organizations.
Today, residents of the house will be able to apply for temporary apartment rentals. To receive the housing provided by the municipality for a period of up to six months (but no longer than a year), it is necessary to submit an application to the Department of Housing and Environment of the Riga City Council at 49/53 Brivibas Street.
The commission also ruled that the security of the affected house will continue to be provided by the Riga Municipal Police until this function is taken over by the management company or another solution is found.
All individuals whose living conditions were directly affected by the incident will receive a crisis benefit from the Social Service. For residents who are unable to obtain identification documents, the municipality will cover their production.
Evacuated residents are also entitled to receive a crisis benefit, which can be applied for within two months from the onset of the crisis situation. To do this, it is necessary to submit an application to the Riga Social Service by calling 80 001 201.
Residents are also encouraged to contact the Social Service if they need other assistance — clothing, food packages, document recovery, or any other social support.
Meanwhile, the insurance company Balta reported that eight apartments in this building are insured. Owners of the insured apartments will be able to receive insurance compensation.
On Sunday, 26 people who lost their homes due to the gas explosion were staying at a hotel on Prusu Street.
As previously reported, two people died as a result of the gas explosion in Tornakalns — one was engaged in illegal activities with a gas pipe in one of the apartments, and an employee of the emergency service of the gas supply company Gaso, who arrived in response to a call about a possible gas leak. Two others were injured.
Before the arrival of the State Fire and Rescue Service (GPCSS), 35 people evacuated from the building on their own, and another 11 were evacuated by firefighters.
The explosion in the five-story residential building occurred due to an illegally damaged gas pipe. As a result of the explosion, the fourth and fifth floors, as well as the roof of the building, collapsed.
The building is managed by SIA "Latvijas namsaimnieks", which has 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.
