One year after a devastating explosion rocked a five-story apartment building in Nizhny Tagil, leaving 11 dead including six children, the community is grappling with the enduring pain and ongoing investigations. The tragedy, which occurred on August 1, 2024, caused the collapse of two entrances of the building on Sibirskaya Street.

The aftermath has been marked by grief, loss, and a search for answers. The five-story building was completely dismantled, and a square will soon be built in its place to memorialize the victims of the tragedy.

Among the victims was 12-year-old Polina, who was visiting friends in the building at the time of the explosion. Rescued from under the rubble after more than ten hours, she remained in a coma for nearly a month before succumbing to her injuries on August 29.

Adding to the family’s grief, Polina’s mother, Elena, now faces accusations related to the explosion. Authorities are investigating a gas leak in her apartment as a potential cause, prompting Elena to appeal to Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, maintaining her innocence, stating that the gas riser in her apartment had been shut off and the windows were open for ventilation. Neighbors have rallied to her defense, questioning how a gas leak could occur in an unoccupied apartment with a closed gas supply.

Another family deeply affected by the tragedy is the Kasyanovs, who lost their 14-year-old daughter, Anya. Anya had invited friends over while her parents were away when the explosion occurred. Despite their own devastating loss, the Kasyanovs also support Elena, doubting her culpability.

Svetlana, 39, was also among the fatalities, leaving behind her 15-year-old son, Seryozha. Svetlana was the first victim pulled from under the rubble. Her son was in another room at the time, he survived and was not even injured.

In the wake of the disaster, authorities provided financial assistance to the victims’ families, allocating funds for new apartments. Relatives of the victims were paid 1.5 million rubles each and funds were allocated for the purchase of apartments. Three employees of Gazeks, the gas service company responsible for inspecting the building’s gas pipes, were initially placed under house arrest, although some question their direct responsibility.