Court delivers a verdict on explosion case in the shopping center in Denau

It should be recalled that on December 7 last year, a powerful explosion caused by a gas leak occurred in the Denau shopping center, Surkhandarya region. The explosion and the fire that broke out killed 11 people. The damage is estimated at 28.6 billion soums. Later, a criminal case was initiated against the head of the Denau city gas station and two employees of the regional Khududgaztaminot.

During the investigation, it was found that the cause of the incident was a malfunction of the gas pipeline laid under the exploded building. 

The Denau district court for criminal proceedings considered the case and issued a verdict, the PGO press secretary Khayot Shamsutdinov reported.

According to the verdict, the head of the city gas gas supply department, K.B., was found guilty under paragraph “a” of Article 205-2 (Abuse of official power), as well as under paragraph “a” of Article 207-3 (Causing the death of a person due to for negligent attitude to official duties) of the Criminal Code. He was sentenced to restriction of freedom for a period of 3 years, 7 months and 11 days with restriction of the ability to leave the place of residence from 22:00 to 06:00.

It is reported that after the announcement of the verdict, the convict K.B. was released from custody.

U.N., who worked as an electric and gas welder in the construction and installation department of the Khududgaz Surkhandaryo gas supply branch, was sentenced to 3 years in prison. He was found guilty under paragraphs “a”, “b” of Article 116-4 (Improper performance of official duties that led to the death of people and other grave consequences) and under paragraph “v” of Article 214-3 (Illegal receipt by an employee of a state body, an organization with state participation or self-government body of citizens of material values   or property benefits) of the Criminal Code. 

Another defendant in this case lost the right to leave his place of residence from 22:00 to 06:00. Plumber of gas distribution points of the Denau city gas supply department N.A. found guilty under Articles 116 and 214 of the Criminal Code, having received a punishment in the form of restriction of freedom for a period of 5 years.

It is reported that the defendants were found guilty because they did not check the technical condition of the gas line laid under the shopping center building, showing negligence and criminal indifference. They let gas with a pressure of 1.3 kg/cm2 through the pipe, which became unusable.

As a result of a powerful explosion, 11 people who were inside the building and in nearby buildings died from injuries of varying severity. 

Many objects were damaged by the explosion, in particular, the incident caused damage:

- in the amount of 6 billion 359 million soums for goods of 35 business entities;
- 17 billion 964 million soums for 91 non-residential properties;
- 3 billion 929 million soums for 109 private housing facilities;
- 135 million 412 thousand soums for 64 apartment buildings;
- 260 million 792 thousand soums to owners for 10 vehicles;
- 28,659,000 soums for the treatment of affected citizens.