In Vitebsk, at a meeting of the Ministry of Emergency Situations collegium, fire safety at facilities with a large concentration of people was discussed
In Vitebsk, at a meeting of the board of the regional Ministry of Emergency Situations department, issues of ensuring fire safety at facilities with a large concentration of people were discussed.
According to statistics for the past year, 5 fires occurred in places with a large concentration of people in the Vitebsk region, resulting in 17 injuries and the evacuation of over 200 people. Who is to blame? How can similar tragedies be avoided in the future? These and other issues related to ensuring fire safety at facilities with a large concentration of people are a priority for rescuers and are under constant control.
The head of the regional Ministry of Emergency Situations department, Colonel of Internal Service Sergey Meshkin, noted that from 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 a large concentration of people and ensuring their compliance with safety standards will be fully transferred to the owner.
— The State Fire Supervision of the Vitebsk region pays close attention to facilities with a large concentration of people. In 2023, the Head of State instructed to equip such facilities with fire detectors and provide them with primary fire extinguishing means. According to statistics, out of three hundred and twenty-seven dormitories located in the region, these systems were faulty in one hundred and fifteen. As of today, this issue has been resolved, – emphasized Sergey Meshkin.
Owners of business entities described the work being carried out to ensure fire safety at facilities with a large concentration of people and the financial resources allocated to address these issues. In the future, it is planned to develop solutions jointly with the regional Ministry of Emergency Situations department to increase the level of safety.
First Deputy Head of the Regional Emergency Situations Department, Colonel of the Internal Service Andrey Gavrilenko, delivered a report on the current situation and main problems in the Vitebsk region related to fire safety, reminded the board of tragic events of recent years, and showed a video about the consequences of fires at facilities with mass gatherings of people.
— At such facilities, the fire automation system is the main element of citizen protection in case of fires. Of particular concern is the fact that in four out of five cases, fires occurred due to violations of the operation of electrical networks and electrical equipment. Throughout the year, more than a dozen letters were sent to the State Energy Supervision Authority for the Vitebsk region, indicating specific violations that required immediate rectification. Not all facilities took prompt response measures, but this issue is currently being resolved, — noted Andrey Gavrilenko.
The board meeting was attended by 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 Supervision Authority.