The Ministry of Emergency Situations warned the population against using water from the Lena after a fuel leak due to a tanker accident

The tanker accident on the Lena River, which resulted in a fuel spill, did not affect the livelihoods of the population in the villages downstream, and there is no threat to people’s lives either. How informs the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Irkutsk region, in the villages of Voronezh, Yubileiny, Vizirny, the villages of Saltykova, Alymovka, Nikulino, Banshchikovo, Chechuisk, Petropavlovsk, Orlova and Korshunovo, there are water wells that are not connected with the river.

“The population is advised not to use water from the Lena River downstream from the accident site for household and drinking needs until the emergency situation is lifted. The information has been brought to the attention of the heads of the municipalities of the region, the population is being notified about the ban on the use of water from the river,” the report says.

The regional Ministry of Emergency Situations also notes that duty posts have been set up in the settlements, and employees of the department “continue monitoring the situation and measuring water samples.” In the press service of the Eastern Interregional TFR on transport reportedthat a criminal case was initiated on the fact of the incident on the Lena River under Part 1 of Art. 247 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the rules for the transportation of environmentally hazardous substances) and Part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of traffic safety rules).

The collision of two tankers on the Lena River occurred late in the evening on June 12, 25 km downstream from the city of Kirensk, Irkutsk region. As a result of the accident, the fuel tank, which contained 138 tons of gasoline, was depressurized. By the decision of the regional commission for the prevention and elimination of emergency situations and ensuring fire safety in the Kirensky district, a municipal emergency regime was introduced. Employees of the regional fire and rescue service made booms and treated the surface of the water with a sorbent, and also began to pump out the remaining gasoline from the destroyed tank and collect the spilled fuel.

Vlad Nikiforov, Irkutsk