In Saratov, an incident at the Brudershaft restaurant ended tragically when a diner choked on a piece of meat. The man, aged 58, died at the hospital before physicians could reach him, according to Oleg Kostin, the regional health minister, who shared the information on the official Telegram channel.
Initial reports indicate that at about 19:15 an ambulance was summoned to the Brudershaft restaurant, situated along the Cosmonauts Embankment. Staff members described a diner turning blue as the moment of friction in his airway.
Paramedics reached the venue 14 minutes after the call. Despite their arrival, the man did not survive the ordeal, with investigators identifying a lodged piece of meat as the apparent cause of the obstruction.
Authorities stated that the circumstances and root causes of the incident are under review, with officials promising a thorough inquiry to determine how such a tragedy occurred and whether any preventable factors were involved.
Separately, a 38-year-old woman from the Omsk region died during a Maslenitsa cooking contest that featured Russian cuisine. The event took place in Pancake celebrations when the contestant collapsed as the competition proceeded. She died before an ambulance could arrive at the scene.
Officials have not released further details about the second death, but emphasize that investigations are ongoing to understand what happened during the contest and to review safety procedures for public culinary events. In both cases, investigators stress the importance of rapid emergency response and proper first aid training for staff in high-traffic dining and event environments, as well as continued public awareness about choking hazards and the steps to take when someone is choking.