In Vitebsk, at the meeting of the Ministry of Emergency Situations collegium, fire safety at facilities with mass attendance of people was discussed.
In Vitebsk, at a meeting of the regional emergency management board, issues related to fire safety at facilities with mass gatherings of people were discussed.
According to statistics for the past year, there were 5 fires in Vitebsk region at places of mass gatherings, resulting in 17 injuries and over 200 evacuations. Who is to blame? How can similar tragedies be avoided in the future? These and other questions related to ensuring fire safety at facilities with mass gatherings are a priority for rescuers and are under constant control.
The head of the regional emergency management department, Colonel of the internal service Sergey Meleshkin, noted that starting January 1, 2026, a new decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus will come into force, according to which the responsibility for maintaining facilities with mass gatherings and ensuring their compliance with safety standards will be fully placed on the owner.
— The state fire supervision of Vitebsk region pays close attention to facilities with mass gatherings. The head of state instructed in 2023 to equip such facilities with fire alarms and provide primary fire extinguishing means. Referring to statistics, out of three hundred twenty-seven dormitories located in the region, in one hundred fifteen, these systems were malfunctioning. As of today, this issue has been resolved, – emphasized Sergey Meleshkin.
Owners of business entities reported on the work being done to ensure fire safety at facilities with mass gatherings, and what financial resources have been allocated to address these issues. In the future, joint solutions with the regional emergency management department are planned to enhance safety levels.
The first deputy head of the regional emergency management department, Colonel of the internal service Andrey Gavrilenko, presented a report on the current situation and main problems in Vitebsk region related to fire safety, reminded the board of the tragic events of recent years, and showed a video report on the consequences of fires at facilities with mass gatherings.
— At such facilities, the fire automation system is the main element of protection for citizens in the event of fires. A particular concern is the fact that in four out of five cases, fires occurred due to violations in the operation of electrical networks and equipment. Over the year, the State Energy and Gas Supervision in Vitebsk region sent more than a dozen letters indicating specific violations that required immediate rectification. Not all facilities took operational response measures, but this issue is now being addressed, – noted Andrey Gavrilenko.
Present at the meeting of the board were the Deputy Minister for Emergency Situations Anatoly Dolgolevets, Deputy Chairmen of the Regional Executive Committee Vyacheslav Durnov and Dmitry Petrusha, representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office, and the State Energy and Gas Supervision.