A court in Kazakhstan has handed down verdicts in the case of a February explosion at the "Center Plov" cafe in Shchuchinsk, which resulted in the deaths of 12 people and injuries to 11 others.

The incident occurred on February 26, 2026, when a gas explosion triggered a fire in the cafe. Investigators determined that two gas cylinders had been delivered to the establishment the day before, one of which was overfilled beyond permissible limits.

According to the court, the cylinder was stored near a heating radiator. The heat caused the pressure inside to rise, leading to a rupture of the cylinder wall, followed by an explosion and fire.

The investigation also revealed that the cafe owner violated fire safety requirements. Gas cylinders were stored improperly, and staff had not received necessary training on handling gas equipment.

The director of a gas filling station was also held accountable for allowing household cylinders to be filled without proper documentation, equipment, and trained personnel.

All three defendants were found guilty. The cafe owner and the station director were each sentenced to seven years in prison, while the cylinder deliveryman received six years. The verdicts have not yet entered into legal force.

Source: podrobno.uz