The owner of a roadside cafe in the Kochkovsky district is facing criminal charges following a fire that resulted in the death of an employee. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Novosibirsk Region announced the completion of the investigation on June 17, with the case now heading to court.

The fire occurred on the morning of January 4 at the cafe located along the highway. Investigators determined that the blaze was triggered by the prolonged operation of faulty electrical equipment, leading to a rapid spread of flames and smoke.

During the incident, a catering employee was trapped in the basement, which only had a single exit to the ground floor, and was unable to escape the fire.

The investigation concluded that the cafe owner violated multiple fire safety regulations, directly contributing to the deadly outcome. A criminal case has been initiated under Part 2 of Article 219 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which addresses violations of fire safety requirements resulting in death through negligence.

The case materials have been transferred to the Ordynsky District Court. If found guilty, the cafe owner could face a prison sentence of up to five years.