A ceiling in a four-story residential building in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk has collapsed during major roof renovation work, leaving an apartment kitchen completely open to the roof space above.
Attention was brought to the situation in the Siberian city by the news Telegram channel Kras Mash. According to reports from the channel, construction workers carrying out planned roof repairs dismantled or damaged structural supports, resulting in the sudden destruction of the kitchen ceiling inside one of the top-floor apartments.
The owner of the damaged flat described returning home from work to discover that her ceiling had begun to sag and drop slightly before collapsing entirely. Construction workers on the site subsequently erected temporary wooden support beams inside the apartment to hold up the remaining sections of the overhead structure.
Builders performing the renovation work maintained that decaying inter-floor timber structures were responsible for the cave-in. Representatives for the construction crew argued that repairing rotted structural beams was not included in the terms or scope of their original renovation contract.
Second collapse reported nearby
A nearly identical incident took place one day prior in a 70-year-old residential building located nearby on Michurin Street. Reports confirmed that roof overhaul work on that building was being carried out by employees of the very same contracting firm.
Neither collapse resulted in injuries to residents, according to local reports. However, falling plaster and timber destroyed personal property inside the affected homes, forcing occupants to discard ruined belongings.
Residential buildings constructed seven decades ago in Russian industrial cities typically feature wooden inter-floor joists and timber framing beneath their roofs. Over decades of service, moisture ingress and lack of maintenance can cause load-bearing wooden structures to decay, creating vulnerabilities during heavy roof work.
Criminal investigation launched
Following the incidents, the local division of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation launched a criminal case. The inquiry focuses on allegations of providing services that fail to meet statutory safety requirements, a criminal charge commonly brought against contractors involved in hazardous construction work or substandard municipal services.
The Investigative Committee, often referred to as Sledkom, is Russia's primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating serious crimes, public safety breaches, and corporate negligence affecting residential infrastructure.
Krasnoyarsk is the administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai and one of the largest cities in Siberia, situated on the Yenisey River. Much of its residential housing stock relies on Russia's nationwide capital repair system, which collects owner contributions to rehabilitate aging municipal roof systems and structural frameworks.
The failures in Krasnoyarsk follow a similar incident previously reported in Moscow, where a multi-story residential building ceiling collapsed directly onto a tenant while she was asleep in her apartment.
