A historic railing along the Fontanka River embankment in St. Petersburg has gone missing following a recent accident. Local observers reported that the loss involved the decorative fence that once stood between the granite pillars lining the waterway.
The incident reportedly occurred several days earlier when a vehicle collided with the embankment barrier. A robot or machine known as a gazelle and a manipulator—which are typically used to move heavy loads—were at the scene to assist with removing the damaged car and transporting the damaged railing away from the site to an unspecified location.
Employees of Mostotrest confirmed that they could identify the license plates of vehicles passing near the guardrail using surveillance cameras. They also noted that no official statement about the accident had been released by the police. In the aftermath, a rope was stretched between the granite columns, signaling the area and marking the historical site involved.
The agency issued a call to those deemed responsible for the accident and the removal of the fence to contact a Mostotrest representative directly and arrange the return of the historic railings. These railings are considered part of the Fontanka River Embankments and Bridges cultural heritage site, and their restoration is important to preserving the area’s historical character.
In related news, reports out of the Omsk region described a separate incident in which individuals driving a car became lost in the forest and nearly froze, underscoring how quickly emergencies can unfold across different regions.