According to recent reports circulating through a Telegram channel, a man lost his life on the site of a long-standing factory yard in Velikiye Luki. The message, attributed to residents who identify themselves as from Velikiye Luki, has sparked discussions about safety and oversight at industrial sites that have fallen into a state of disrepair over the years.
On March 17, an incident unfolded on the grounds of the former Velikoluksky Locomotive Car Repair Plant, commonly referred to as VLVRZ, located on Malysheva Street. The facility, which once served as a bustling hub for repair and maintenance of locomotives and rolling stock, now stands in a condition that invites scrutiny from authorities and the local community alike as it continues to idle and decay.
Preliminary information indicates that a 29-year-old man gained unauthorized access to the property and was actively engaged in collecting metal when a concrete slab collapsed, tragically causing fatal injuries at the scene. The weight and impact of the slab effectively severed the man’s legs, resulting in instant death under the wreckage. Emergency responders were dispatched once the incident was reported, and they arrived to secure the area, assess the debris, and begin the process of safeguarding other potential hazards on the site.
The call to law enforcement arrived at three in the afternoon, reporting the death of a man born in 1994. As investigators begin their work, authorities are focusing on the sequence of events leading up to the collapse, the structural integrity of the vacant buildings, and any safety violations that may have contributed to the tragedy. Specialists are currently involved in the demolition of extant structures and the thorough examination of the rubble left behind to determine whether there were existing risks that could have been identified beforehand. At this stage, it remains unclear how the deceased ended up on the property; officials have not yet confirmed whether he was employed there at the time of the incident or if other factors drew him to the site for metal recovery.
In related coverage, there have been prior reports of fatal building collapses in Moscow, underscoring a broader pattern of dangerous circumstances surrounding aging urban infrastructure and the risks faced by workers or scavengers who encounter unstable structures. While those cases highlight a different city and context, they contribute to a wider conversation about industrial safety, heritage sites, and the measures necessary to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Local authorities emphasize the importance of proper authorization, protective equipment, and safeguarding procedures when individuals access sites that hold historical and economic value yet pose inherent dangers due to deterioration and lack of maintenance.