Today, May 7, representatives of the Kyiv police conducted regular searches at the main office and departments of the Kyivteploenergo utility company to study safety measures during emergency works. The investigative actions concern the January incident when a girl received burns incompatible with life after falling into a pit with hot water at the site of network repairs. This is according to reported by Kyivteploenergo utility company.
The purpose of the searches is to obtain documents regarding the regulations for performing work, the principles of installing fencing, and the job duties of employees. These are repeated measures at the same facilities, as the first investigative actions took place back in January 2026. The utility company emphasized that they are cooperating with law enforcement to conduct the most objective investigation possible and have provided access to all premises and office equipment, including computers.
Details of the incident
The tragedy occurred on January 2 on Lobanovsky Avenue, where the asphalt was washed away by boiling water as a result of damage to the heating network, and a dangerous sinkhole formed. According to the prosecutor's office, officials failed to provide proper fencing and did not install warning signs around the hot water leak zone. Due to the lack of barriers, the 16-year-old girl walked unhindered to the accident site and fell into the pit, suffering critical burns to 73% of her body.
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The investigation established that the head of the utility company section who managed the works violated safety requirements and did not restrict access of unauthorized persons to the site. In addition to the girl, two more people were injured at the same location — a 12-year-old child and a 53-year-old woman who stepped into boiling water on the sidewalk. Currently, the official has been served with a notice of suspicion for professional negligence, which carries a penalty of imprisonment for a term of up to 8 years.
The injured girl was urgently evacuated in critical condition to a specialized clinic in Cologne through the Medevac Ukraine program. As reported by Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, the transportation to Germany took a little over 48 hours, but the II–III degree burns covered almost the entire surface of her body.
Read also: A 16-year-old girl who fell into a pit with boiling water in Kyiv was evacuated to Germany
Despite the efforts of German specialists and performed surgeries, after long-term treatment, the girl's heart stopped.
