The main causes of death in fires in the Vitebsk region in 2023 have been named

January 12, Vitebsk . More than 88% of the residents of the Vitebsk region who died in fires were in a state ofALCOHOL intoxication and smoking indoors. The HEAD of the Vitebsk Regional Emergency Situations Department, Sergei Meleshkin, announced this at the final press conference, BELTA correspondent reports.

In total, in 2023, 896 fires occurred in the northern region, in which 93 people died. “The main cause of death in fires is still alcohol intoxication, which, in combination with smoking, leads to serious consequences. In total, 82 people died under the influence of bad habits in 2023, which is 88.2% of the total number of deaths in fires. Unfortunately, last year even two children became victims of fires caused by adults smoking. it is not easy to influence this situation. In all districts of the region, emergency workers , together with internal affairs officers and medical workers, are carrying out preventive measures to prevent such cases. We also work through centers security of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, of which there are three in the region - in Vitebsk, Novopolotsk and Barani, Orsha district.Together with specialists from Polotsk State University named after Euphrosyne of Polotsk, software has been created that has been implemented in all these centers, and it shows the state of a person under the influence of alcohol and nicotine, how they change his behavior and internal organs. We believe that completely eradicatebad habits are impossible, but you need to instill responsibility for your behavior. And we need to start with the younger generation. Children, first in a playful way, and then at a more serious level, learn safety rules,” emphasized Sergei Meleshkin.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations also performs a supervisory function, which is also aimed at preventing fires and deaths. “Inspection commissions examined more than 112 thousand in 2023 households, more than 148 thousand citizens were instructed. A number of causes and conditions that pose a threat to life and HEALTH have been identified. Thanks to the joint work of crime prevention subjects, work was carried out to repair stove heating in almost more than 5.8 thousand households, more than 3 thousand electrical and heat-using installations in residential premises, and more than 1 thousand violations of the rules for using gas in the home were eliminated. Work has been carried out to install more than 15.7 thousand APIs in citizens’ households,” shared Sergei Meleshkin.

The head of the regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations said that last year rescuers had to not only fight the fire, but also eliminate the consequences of natural emergencies. They were flooded 58 residential buildings, 120 private farmsteads, 249 outbuildings, 14 sections of roads, three bridges, as well as a pedestrian bridge and part of the embankment in Vitebsk. 53 people, including 15 children, were temporarily resettled from flooded areas to safe areas.

"In the Vitebsk region A dangerous situation arose when the flood washed away the bank of the Western Dvina, and there was a threat of collapse of residential buildings. Together with the leadership of the district, in three days the destruction of the coast was eliminated, its strengthening, and now, monitoring the situation, we see that in that place, despite the rising water, nothing threatens buildings and people,” noted Sergei Meleshkin.

On the eve of the professional holiday - Rescuer Day - and the 25th anniversary of emergency agencies and units of Belarus, the head of the regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations emphasized that all structural units approach the safety of the population of the northern region with full responsibility.For this, rescuers have all the necessary technical means, special equipment and serious preparation: Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Vitebsk region regularly find themselves in the top 3 at various professional skills competitions, proving that they are always ready to help at the first signal.