Residents affected by a gas explosion on Bauskas Street are expected to regain access to their belongings in the coming months, pending safety assessments.
Residents whose lives were disrupted by a recent gas explosion on Bauskas Street in Riga may soon regain access to their belongings. According to representatives from the Riga City Council's Housing and Environment Department, residents could enter the damaged building in the upcoming months, but only for brief periods. Initially, the State Police will have access to the site to begin investigating the cause of the explosion, with further decisions on entry logistics resting with the City Development Department’s building authority.
The current situation regarding the affected building was discussed in a committee meeting of the Riga City Council, where the interim director of the Housing and Environment Department, Dace Ziediņa, provided updates. She indicated that a contract has been signed for the demolition of dangerous structures and that the building project is being coordinated with the building authority this week. Demolition works will commence in the following week after unsafe structures are removed, allowing for safer assessments and eventual recovery of personal items for residents.
This incident follows a concerning trend of gas-related incidents causing structural damage and posing risks to resident safety. Authorities are taking steps to ensure that structural hazards are mitigated while facilitating the safe recovery of residents' belongings. The timeline and specifics regarding when residents can safely retrieve their items will depend on the ongoing evaluation of the building’s stability and safety by city officials.
