According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, three people were injured. The building was slated for demolition in April, but as the governor stated after the incident, it had not been fully evacuated.
A stairwell collapsed in a residential building at Lyakhova Street, 6, in Astrakhan. The old five-story building suffered a collapse of its staircase, affecting multiple apartments, with ceilings giving way from the first to the fifth floor. There was no fire. Emergency services are currently on-site, engaged in clearing the debris. Sixteen people have been evacuated, and no fatalities have been reported. One resident with limited mobility was hospitalized.
Initially, a domestic gas explosion was considered a possible cause of the collapse. However, emergency dispatch services later confirmed that there was no explosion and no gas leak was detected. The risk of further collapse remains. Anastasia Andreiko, a correspondent for GTRK `Lotos` in Astrakhan, reports from the scene:
Anastasia Andreiko, Correspondent, GTRK “Lotos” in Astrakhan
“Around 12:12 PM, the Ministry of Emergency Situations received a report about the partial destruction of the building at Lyakhova Street, 6. Approximately 100 rescuers are currently working at the scene. The Astrakhan Region`s Ministry of Emergency Situations informed us that 96 personnel and over 28 units of equipment are present, and an operational headquarters, comprising all emergency services, has been established. The Governor of the Astrakhan Region and the regional Minister of Health have arrived and ordered the deployment of all possible additional resources to manage the emergency. Fifteen people were evacuated initially, and I see a large number of rescuers who have already begun clearing the debris.”
The collapsed building, constructed in 1962, is over 60 years old. It is a five-story brick structure with three entrances. For several years, local residents had complained about a flooded basement. In 2020, the building was declared dilapidated and scheduled for demolition by April 1, 2025.
Astrakhan Region Governor Igor Babushkin stated that 94 out of 131 units in the building had been relocated. Irina, the owner of a hotel in a neighboring building, shared her perspective on the persistently flooded basement with Business FM:
— We came out and saw fire trucks, police, all services, and even the governor – everyone was there. The entire stairwell collapsed. What else can you expect when such buildings are standing here? They`re sinking. The management company just changes its name every six months, and no one cares about anything. These are five-story buildings from the 70s.
— I understand that your hotel and the collapsed building were built around the same time?
— No, that one is older; ours is a bit newer. But ours is well-maintained; we look after it, we drain our basements ourselves as the hotel owners. No one cares about that other building; it`s completely neglected. It used to be a dormitory, and now it`s abandoned, with water up to your waist in the basement. Our building is maintained, painted, everything is done inside and out by the owners themselves.
— Is the building gas-supplied?
— I don`t know. We don`t have gas in our building. For example, my hotel doesn`t have gas. Some say the middle stairwell collapsed, others say the one closer to the hotel. Right next to it is the television and radio station. I didn`t hear any explosions; I`ve been here since 9 AM.
— So, it just collapsed, and then all the commotion started?
— Yes, I just saw people running in the street and went out to see what happened.
— Who primarily lives there? You said it used to be a dormitory.
— It`s an abandoned building, partially vacated, you could say. It should have been torn down long ago. And there`s another similar building right next to it, in the courtyard.
— The building was declared unsafe in 2020, subject to demolition no later than 2024.
— No, it`s still standing. And they even managed to open a fighting club on the first floor there. There`s always water around that building, not near ours, but on the other side, behind the dumpsters, it`s constantly a swamp.
— So, the foundation is being eroded?
— Probably, I think so.
An operational headquarters has been established at the collapse site. A temporary shelter for those affected has been set up at School No. 8. “All necessary assistance, including meals, will be provided there,” stated Astrakhan Mayor Igor Redkin.
The Governor of the Astrakhan Region has ordered an inspection of the structural integrity of all surrounding buildings. Once a building is declared unsafe, it is no longer permissible to reside in it. Furthermore, foundation flooding is a common issue for buildings in Astrakhan, as noted by Konstantin Krokhin, a lawyer and chairman of the Moscow Housing Union:
Konstantin Krokhin, Lawyer and Chairman of the Moscow Housing Union
“The collapse of a dilapidated house in Astrakhan is not a new occurrence; just a few years ago, a similar situation led to fatalities. Therefore, it`s likely that Astrakhan has many unsafe buildings due to the poor condition of its housing stock and slow relocation rates. Regardless of whether residents are on a waiting list or moved in after the building was declared unsafe, no one should be living there from the moment it`s recognized as hazardous. `Hazardous` implies a danger to human presence, a risk of collapse. This danger has manifested itself yet again in Astrakhan. Relocation means providing housing. This can be permanent housing or, in dangerous situations, temporary housing (maneuverable fund) where people are moved to avoid risk. However, many regions currently struggle with both: providing new permanent housing is financially challenging for most regions, and there`s a lack of temporary housing. Today, social housing mostly comprises remnants of the Soviet past, gradually leaving municipal control as people privatize apartments, and no new social housing is being built.”
When asked about residents` repeated appeals and the current leading theory of foundation erosion, Krokhin added: “It`s important to note that foundation erosion is a particular characteristic of Astrakhan. In previous years, collapses in Astrakhan were indeed caused by foundation undermining, and in part for this reason, these homes are declared unsafe. In our reality, it`s very difficult to declare a building unsafe without a structural threat: if there are no cracks, if there are no problems in the walls or foundation. The fact that these homes in Astrakhan were recognized as unsafe indicates genuine objective reasons and inherent danger; otherwise, they wouldn`t have been declared hazardous, and people would still be living there. So, Astrakhan specifically faces problems with groundwater and sewage runoff, with annual sewage spills contaminating basements and causing foul odors.”
The Investigative Committee is working at the collapse site, and the prosecutor`s office is conducting an inspection.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth