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Emergency Situation During Firework Show in Minsk. People Injured and Killed

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Emergency Situation During Firework Show in Minsk. People Injured and Killed
Photo by svaboda.org

(updated) There have been several strong blasts.

An emergency situation occurred amid a fireworks display in Minsk.

Eyewitnesses report on social networks.

"During the firework display, there were two strong blasts low above the ground. They had mushroom-like smoke."

"Something happened to the main installation on the lake: one charge exploded low above the ground. Window panes were broken"

"Two installations or two charges exploded at the start near the Komsomolskoye Lake. Window panes were shattered in the Dinamo sports complex," Minskers write.

Another witness, who was in the vicinity of "Minsk - Hero-City," said that two powerful blasts were heard шт the third minute of the firework show. Then fireworks were halted, while in other parts of the city the fireworks continued.

Blogger NEXTA said on his telegram-channel:

"One of the rockets of festive fireworks took the wrong direction, and its fragment hit a woman in the head.

It is also reported that several firework installations exploded before launching, now this place (the "Dynamo" sports complex) is cordoned off.

Radio Svaboda informs several fireworks exploded low above the ground in Minsk, some people were injured.

An adult woman was injured by fragments. She was taken away by an ambulance. A child also had an arm injury. Windows panes were shattered in buildings in different parts of the city. In addition, it is reported that after the parade the tank was "about to drive over the pedestrians."

At least two extremely loud blasts were heard in the city centre, there was smoke above the ground. One victim died.

What eyewitnesses say

An eyewitness told Svaboda about the incident:

"The firework rocked. Its fragments flew in all directions. A woman has her throat cut. There was so much blood," he says. - I saw her taken away by ambulance. This was an elderly woman. Probably my grandmother. A childwas hit in the arm too. It was five years old. The ambulance arrived soon".

Other people were also taken by ambulance. According to witnesses, 3-4 fireworks exploded low above the ground. There were some fragments.

"There was an explosion," another eyewitness says. - My husband and I said something was wrong with it. A woman screamed behind us and a woman fell down. Most likely, that was her mother. The ambulance was at the scene in seven minutes. A lifeguard came out of the water, they put pressure on the woman's wound to stop blood".

According to the woman, it happened near the bridge over the Svisloch river, on Dauman Street.

The tank was drifting again

After the parade, one of the tanks was about to run over pedestrians on the sidewalk. No victims were reported. A similar incident - a tank drifting - happened at the rehearsal of the parade on 25 June 2017. No casualties were reported.

***

Meanwhile, experts explained what kind of fragments had hit some of the spectators on July 3.

- The photo shows that it's not a part of a combative charge," the expert told the NEXTA channel telegram. - This is part of a mortar (drive pipe) for fireworks. At least there was one blast inside. There may be two reasons: either the amount of gunpowder required is exceeded, or the pipe lid was too tight. In any case, it's not good that the festive fireworks turned into a bloodbath.

A 64-year-old woman died

Previously published information is officially confirmed: a woman succumbed to injuries caused by a bloody firework show on July 3. The preliminary diagnosis was an "injured by scattered fragments, carotid rupture, acute blood loss". The woman was 64 years old, the blogger NEXTA writes.

The Minister of Internal Affairs appeared at the scene.

The blogger says there could be even more injured on July 3. There were fireworks in the Uruchye military camp. One of them exploded low above the ground.

There were a lot of spectators there, and they were standing close. But boxes standing on the territory of the military camp saved people from the scattered fragments.

Fortunately, the military responsible for the fireworks in Uruchye were smart enough to immediately halt it. Otherwise, there could have been problems. The damage inflicted is only financial, and it is now being clarified.

However, this is the first "Independence Day," when Lukashenka not only told about the horrors of war but also showed them.

New eyewitness accounts

People provide new information about the fireworks on July 3.

- The fatal injury to a woman happened right before our eyes," one of the " festive" viewers wrote. - We were standing with children at the edge of the sidewalk, closer to the grass. An elderly woman and her daughter stood closer to the water. At one point I noticed something flying. The speed wasn't high. It looked like a huge bug hit a woman's neck. At that time, I heard a loud explosion. Window panes shattered. I saw this woman falling down and a fountain of blood out of her neck.

My wife grabbed the children. My friend and I ran to the woman. At once I failed to understand what had happened. All I saw was the woman's daughter pressing her neck. The daughter cried that her mother had her neck injured by a scattered fragment. My friend tried to stop the bleeding. She pressed her hands against her neck and tried to clamp off the carotid. But she said the wound was deep. At that time, two paramedics arrived on a water scooter. I started shouting that an ambulance was needed urgently. A young emergency man reached the embankment, quickly examined something and told his colleague about the situation and then rushed to help.

Everyone was shocked. A paramedic said something on the radio. The fragment was as big as a matchbox (5x5 cm approximately and 2-3 mm thick). It was two meters away from the woman. All the people dispersed. We saw other paramedics behind the parking lot. When they ran up, we stepped aside a little. A friend of mine had bloodstains. People with walkie-talkies immediately approached, then the police cordoned off the place and pushed us aside. We were shocked. The children were scared. That's how one can be hit by shrapnel in peacetime. No more fireworks.

The death of the woman during the festive firework show is officially confirmed

The death of a woman during the festive firework show and injuries to several people are officially confirmed by the Ministry of Defense and the Investigative Committee.

Ministry of Defense published an official report on the accident during the "festive" firework show.

"The Commission of the Ministry of Defense and the Investigative Committee uncover the causes of injuries to citizens during the fireworks in Minsk.

As a result, four people were injured, including a woman who had fatal injuries.

The military department expresses its condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and will provide them with the necessary assistance.

It is stated that charges used during the show have been used before."

"Four people were injured. The woman, born in 1955, received a fatal injury. Other people did not need medical assistance," Natallia Havrusik, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defense, stated.

The Investigative Committee published the following:

"Despite the timely assistance provided, the woman born in 1955 who was watching the fireworks on the bank of the Svisloch River succumbed to her injuries.

Her death is being investigated. The opening of a criminal case is under consideration.

According to preliminary data, several other victims received medical treatment. However, they did not need hospitalization. The exact number of injured is determined."

The IC: At least 10 injured after fireworks in Minsk

The Investigative Committee has started a criminal case on the explosion of fireworks in Minsk. The press service of the ministry informs.

"According to the investigation, four explosions of firework products occurred on 3 July during a festive firework show in Minsk. It caused the destruction of firing installations. At least 10 citizens were injured by flying fragments. One woman died on the spot, despite prompt medical assistance. In addition, the buildings and structures in the vicinity were damaged," the report says.

The criminal case is initiated under Art. 463, para 2 (violation of the rules for handling substances and objects which represent an increased danger for nearby persons) of the Criminal Code of Belarus.

The case puts forward versions about the firing installations malfunction, fireworks malfunction, incorrect charging of fireworks, improper operation of firing installations.

"There was a blast wave": new eyewitness accounts in Minsk

Minsk resident Aliaksandr came to see fireworks with his wife and children. He was standing on the stairs, which led to the embankment.

- The first blast was powerful and strong. There was a blast wave," he said. - Naturally, everyone was shaken up. They used to shoot with 122-mm howitzer D-30, which is 5-7 times more powerful. After the first blast, it became clear that it happened in Victory Park. My wife and I looked at each other and realized that it was wrong. It was obvious that the fireworks exploded lower. Then the second powerful blast took place. After that, the fireworks were halted. It continued only near the office of Belaruskali.

Inessa watched the fireworks with her child. From the very first minutes, she says, it became clear something went wrong.

- First, there was one explosion followed by another. And a few seconds later, people started shouting and running in different directions," she said. - I saw a woman on the ground. People shouted that she was bad. I am a doctor. At first, I thought that she had an epilepsy attack. I came closer and saw that the situation was critical. Blood was everywhere, her daughter was trying to stop the blood. A boat with a rescuer approached immediately. He did not get confused and started pressing the wound instead of a shocked daughter.

I immediately called the ambulance and explained the situation and our location. There was a lot of blood. One tried to close the wound with a sweater, but nothing worked. Then I saw the fragment of the firework that hurt her. It was very large. The ambulance arrived quickly enough. I was with a child and did not interfere. Moreover, I understood that the woman could hardly need any help. I really wanted to believe that I was wrong.

Mikalai and his wife were standing on the bridge. He says that first, everything was fine. But then blasts followed.

- I watched the fireworks before and saw that they sometimes burst low above the ground. But I had never seen anything of that kind before," he says. - Even before the first firework, there were pieces on the road. It was felt like sand and dust in the eye. Then I felt a blow as if a child threw a stone at me. I looked at the ground and saw a white matchbox object. I thought it was paper. That piece was plastic. I looked around and saw bigger pieces around. Then the explosion happened.

The Investigative Committee gave four versions of what happened during the firework show on July 3

According to the IC, there were four explosions of fireworks during the holiday in Minsk, nn.by reports.

Four versions are being followed:

- firing installations malfunction,

- fireworks malfunction,

- incorrect charging of fireworks,

- improper operation of firing installations.

The charges used during the fireworks on July 3 were made in Russia

Piro-Ross company supplies them to Belarus.

The Belarusian edition of Office Life contacted the company. They confirmed that they had been cooperating with the Ministry of Defense of Belarus for many years. According to the representative of the company, they supplied Russian-made charges produced in 2017. The amount of supplies remains the same every year - about 20 million Russian rubles. This is more than 600 thousand Belarusian rubles. It is also reported that the company's representatives are in Minsk.

The company has been producing equipment for fireworks since 1994.

Minsk schoolboy took a picture of an explosion

On July 3, Mikalai Piatrou together with his parents watched the parade and the festive firework show. He managed to take a picture of the explosion. It happened at 22.20.

PHOTO BY MIKALAI PIATROU

- I was standing with my parents near the rescue station on the embankment of Komsomolskoye lake. There were soldiers all over the perimeter. When the explosion took place, the military ordered people to step back to the trees. Everybody realised something was wrong and started running away," Mikalai said.

According to him, first, everything was fine. Later he heard a strange blast. There was a feeling that something had exploded on the ground.

- It was very loud, there was a sound wave. Then there was another blast and sparks in the sky. It visually differed from usual fireworks.

Drone photo of the spot after explosions on July 3

The investigators are still working at the scene, the firing installations have not been removed yet.

The head of the IC comments on explosions in Minsk: The main version is low-quality Russian fireworks

Head of the Investigative Committee of Belarus Ivan Naskevich commented on the emergency during the fireworks in Minsk.

"This is an isolated case. The main version is the poor quality of fireworks. The firework products used on that day were produced in Russia. It is found that three calibres - 105, 195 and 310 mm - were used. The trouble was caused by calibre 195. The safety perimeter was set for the standard situation. It is barely possible to predict the dispersion in case of an emergency. Expert studies have been carried out. The investigation is ongoing," chairman of the Investigative Committee of Belarus Ivan Naskevich stated.

Mikalai Statkevich tells about the tragedy of 3 July in Minsk: The authorities inadequately assess their capabilities

One of the leaders of the Belarusian National Congress, presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich said in an interview with Charter97.org:

- You know, all of us were about to suffer such tragedies caused by so-called "parades".

At first, a tank hit a tree and a lamp post in Minsk, and yesterday the tank was about to hit people. As a result, we witnessed a real tragedy.

These are consequences of inadequate assessment by the authorities of their capabilities and capabilities of a small country, which organizes a festive military show on the day chosen as the main one.

Our country is small and not rich. Our army lives on a small allowance. The main resources are received by men with shoulder straps, the so-called "guards" and there are too many of them.

Once a year this army has to organize such a large-scale show. They drive old equipment and soldiers miss money for training to do things properly. If fireworks, for example, are needed, they buy in the cheapest.

All the bosses understand if they buy something more expensive, the "guards" will meet it at dagger point. You might have taken a bribe if you had bought such expensive goods.

July 3 things which have been concealed for years, unfortunately, finally revealed. My condolences go to the relatives of the deceased woman and to the people who were injured.

But we must realise that all this is the result of the rule of one man who has been organizing his show for years at the expense of people. He finances them, hoping for some profit from his political campaigns. The money is wasted on a dubious show, with the army still underfunded. As a result, all these problems have tragically erupted.

Ministry of Defense: The explosions occurred in three of the six places

The Commission of the Ministry of Defense continues its official investigation. the press service of the department informs.

"It is established that the products of one calibre (195 mm) of five used (105 mm, 125 mm, 150 mm, 195 mm, 310 mm) exploded. The explosions occurred in three out of six places. After the first explosions the fireworks were stopped," the report says.

Supposedly, the explosions were caused by low-quality charges of calibre 195 mm. The Investigative Committee has also presented and is following other possible versions.

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