MOSCOW, February 17 (RAPSI) – The Norilsk City Court in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Krai will hear a negligence case against a former deputy chief of the city administration’s Main Department for Civil Defense and Emergencies and one more division employee over fuel spillage in the region, RAPSI has learnt from the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office. 

The defendants knew about the happened disaster but failed to take immediate steps to organize emergency response and other urgent works to contain the accident and minimize its environmental impact, the statement reads.

The damage caused has increased because of their failure, prosecutors claim.

According to case papers, on May 29, 2020, over 20 tons of petrochemicals spread over the thermal power station and flew into the subsoil and waters near the Nadezhinsky iron and steel plant that resulted in the environment pollution and harm.

In October, ex-Mayor of Norilsk Rinat Akhmetchin received 6 months of community service with a 15% wage deduction for negligence as to a fuel spillage in the region. A court held that the former Mayor had failed to take adequate emergency response and measures to liquidate the disaster.