The essence of the case
On January 2, 2026, a central heating pipe ruptured on Lobanovskyi Avenue in Kyiv, causing the asphalt on the sidewalk to collapse and a hole filled with hot water to form. As a result, a 16-year-old girl fell into that hole and suffered burns that, according to the prosecutor's office, cover 73% of her body. The victim, in a medically induced coma, was sent to Germany for treatment, UNN reports, citing the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.
Prosecutor's position
The Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office has notified the head of a district unit of the municipal enterprise "Kyivteplokomunenergo" of suspicion. He is accused of violating safety rules during the performance of work involving increased danger under Part 2 of Article 272 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
"The head of the district unit of the municipal enterprise 'Kyivteplokomunenergo' has been notified of suspicion for violating safety rules during the performance of work involving increased danger, which caused serious consequences"
— Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office
According to the investigation, the suspect led the emergency repair works but did not organize the timely fencing off of the entire hazardous area and did not provide the necessary safety measures — barriers, signs and, where required, emergency lighting.
"Failure to comply with safety rules during the performance of work involving increased danger is in a direct causal relationship with the occurrence of serious consequences for the minor victim. The suspect was detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. A motion has been filed with the court to impose a preventive measure on him in the form of detention"
— Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office
Safety at the accident site — who is responsible?
The regulations cited by law enforcement require reliable fencing and signaling of the accident site to prevent access by unauthorized persons. In this case, the prosecutor's office sees a direct causal link between shortcomings in the organization of the work and the serious consequences for the victim.
This incident is not only about one mistake — it is a wake-up call about the standards for emergency repair work in the city and the mechanisms for ensuring compliance. Infrastructure experts and human rights groups have repeatedly pointed to the need for clearer oversight and greater transparency during emergency works in densely populated areas.
Consequences and legal perspective
The actions have been qualified under Part 2 of Article 272 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — the article's sanction provides for up to 8 years' imprisonment. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing: investigators are identifying other persons whose actions or inaction may have led to the girl's injury. At the same time, the case raises a practical question for the authorities: how to minimize risks to citizens during the remediation of emergency situations.
Now the initiative rests with the supervisory authorities and the leadership of the municipal enterprise: declarations of responsibility must be turned into concrete changes in safety practice. Whether this incident will be enough to accelerate reforms in the field of emergency repair work in cities is a question for officials and for public oversight.
