A court in the Kemerovo region of Siberia has ordered the owner of a sauna to remain in pre-trial detention after a tragic fire claimed the lives of five teenagers during a birthday celebration over the weekend.
The victims, aged between 15 and 17, succumbed to smoke inhalation on Saturday night. A sixth teen, a 16-year-old girl, managed to escape the flames.
The Investigative Committee, Russia’s leading investigative agency, has launched a criminal probe into potential health and safety breaches related to the sauna located in Prokopyevsk, a city known for its coal mining. Alexei Dolgachev, the sauna’s owner, could face a prison sentence of up to ten years if found guilty.
On Monday, a judge from the Central District Court in Kemerovo ruled to keep Dolgachev in custody until March 31.
Investigators are also looking into allegations against his brother, Pavel Dolgachev, who is a co-owner of the sauna.
Reports indicate that Alexei Dolgachev voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement and admitted to certain charges.
Earlier on Monday, the sauna’s manager, identified as 36-year-old Yelena Selishcheva, was placed under house arrest.
Authorities have accused Selishcheva of adding firewood and coal to the furnace while “neglecting to supervise the teenagers and failing to monitor the temperature.”
“Shortly after, a fire erupted in the establishment,” the Investigative Committee stated, adding that the victims could not safely evacuate due to the rapid spread of flames and smoke.
This incident marks the third deadly event to shake the Kemerovo region in less than a month.
Last week, officials initiated extensive inspections at over a dozen mental health institutions in the area following the deaths of nine patients at a facility in Prokopyevsk. The director of the mental health hospital was placed on temporary leave.
This followed a previous incident in which a judge mandated the closure of a regional maternity hospital after the deaths of nine newborns in quick succession. Authorities arrested the hospital’s chief physician and the acting head of the intensive care unit.
