In Lviv, officials accused of violating safety regulations leading to the death of an elevator passenger are to stand trial.
The head of the homeowners’ association of the apartment building where the tragedy occurred and the electromechanic of the Lviv municipal enterprise face a sentence of up to eight years in prison. Investigators from the department of investigation of crimes against life and health of the Lviv police established that in 2019, a scheduled inspection of the passenger elevator was conducted in one of the apartment buildings on Mazepa Street in Lviv, during which violations of occupational safety regulations were found, posing a threat to people’s lives and health. These violations were not promptly addressed, and despite a ban, the elevator continued to be operated.
Residents of the building repeatedly complained about the malfunctioning and frequent breakdowns of the elevator, but the officials – the head of the homeowners’ association and the electromechanic of the municipal enterprise responsible for the maintenance and proper condition of elevators, failed to address the shortcomings, did not supervise, or take measures to maintain the elevator in an operationally faultless state, leading to the tragedy.
On April 7, 2023, due to the failure of safety devices caused by the unsatisfactory technical condition of the elevator, a passenger was killed – she was trapped between the cabin and the shaft. The woman sustained injuries that led to her death.
The pretrial investigation in the criminal proceedings, opened under the procedural guidance of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office under part 2 of article 272 (Violation of safety regulations during the performance of high-risk work) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, is complete. The indictment has been sent to court. The accused face a sentence of restriction of freedom for up to five years or imprisonment for up to eight years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.