On Sunday afternoon, April 16, in the center of St. Petersburg, there was another breakthrough of the heating pipeline. A few months from 2023, this is not the first case. Previously, accidents were recorded on Kolpino, Kolomna and Drovyanaya streets.
According to the media, the accident on the heating pipe occurred in 21 houses on 5th Sovetskaya Street. According to preliminary data, there were no casualties as a result of the breakthrough. Eyewitnesses reported that traffic was completely blocked, the street was flooded. It is likely that the car fell under the asphalt.
Since the start of 2023, around ten pipe breaks have occurred in the city, and the “most active phase” has been observed with the arrival of the first cold spells in November-December 2022. For example, heating pipes burst in Kolpino (since November 2022, 13 major utility emergencies have been recorded here), Kolomna and Drovyanaya Street. In the latter case, the accident led to the hospitalization of five citizens.
The critical state of the distribution networks is explained by the low level of funding in this area. According to law enforcement, about 80% of the pipes were in worn condition in 2022, about 40% are near critical condition and need to be replaced. In Smolny they know the problem, but they do not solve it in any way and, on the contrary, they declare that they are ready to face the cold. This statement was made by representatives of the team of Governor Alexander Beglov on the eve of winter 2022-2023. With the arrival of the first cold weather, several accidents on the heating pipes are recorded simultaneously.
Experts pointed to Smolny’s lack of a systematic approach to solving the problem. Civil servants fight against the consequences, but do not prevent. Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Irina Ivanova noted that the prices of public services in the city are increasing, but their quality is not improving.
“People pay a lot of money for heating. We feel it ourselves with you. No matter how the receipt arrives, you will shiver. Tariffs were increased twice last year,” Ivanova said.
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