Fire victims in Nalchik found the payments from the administration insufficient.

Only 13 families received 100,000 rubles each after the fire in a building on Kalmykova Street. Residents of one floor received 50,000 rubles each, while the rest of the victims received nothing, fire victims told the "Caucasian Knot."

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," residents of an apartment building on Kalmykova Street in Nalchik who lost their property in the fire asked officials for help with temporary housing. According to the victims, authorities limited themselves to promises to pay 100,000 rubles each and repair the building.

Acting Mayor of Nalchik Azamatgeriy Ashkhotov met with residents of building No. 241 on Kalmykova Street, where a fire occurred on May 18. During the meeting, the official "provided the necessary clarifications" on the fire victims' concerns, the municipal press service reported on June 2. According to officials, a one-time payment of "up to 100,000 rubles" has already been transferred to the victims.

At the meeting, residents were shown "a visualization of the future appearance of the building after the renovations are completed." Work is currently underway to clean the sixth floor of the building, the electrical systems have already been checked, and a gas inspection is scheduled for June 3.

"They will be able to move into the first through fourth floors between July 10 and 20. Partial roofing will already be completed," Ashkhotov stated.

Not all victims have received payments.

Currently, those affected by the fire are temporarily housed in the "Caucasian Captive" hotel, located outside the city limits. Fire victims clarified that the Nalchik administration allocated a one-time payment of 100,000 rubles each to 13 families whose apartments burned completely. Residents of fifth-floor apartments received 50,000 rubles each, while the rest received no compensation, even though many of their apartments were completely destroyed.

The administration plans to restore the sixth floor and roof, as well as repair the fifth-floor hallway, said Valeria Pereyaslova, a resident of the building who suffered acute smoke inhalation as a result of the fire.

“The acting mayor says the roof issue should be resolved this weekend, after which residents on floors 1 through 4 will be able to return to their apartments. Meanwhile, many people were left without anything – clothes, money, and other personal belongings were destroyed,” Pereyaslova wrote on her Instagram*.

The fire was caused by the gas workers’ fault.

At the time of the fire, work was underway to replace a gas meter in the building, Kamilla Zashaeva, a resident of the building, reminded a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent. Her apartment and everything in it burned completely. According to her, the Nalchik prosecutor's office sent a notice to Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Nalchik LLC, but the agency has not yet responded.

"The fire is under investigation; it's not yet complete, but it has already been determined that the fire was caused by the actions of gas workers," the victim emphasized.

According to Kamilla Zashayeva, mold has formed in the apartments that survived but were flooded. She currently lives in a rented apartment with her disabled child, which she rents out of pocket. Zashayeva also purchased the burned-out apartment with her own funds. "Nobody's promising us anything," she said.

A lawyer explained the procedure for claiming compensation

Municipal authorities are responsible for assisting fire victims: they can resolve the situation at their own discretion, allocating a fixed sum or housing to the victims. There is no separate law regulating the amounts and procedures for payments to fire victims. Everything depends on the expert assessment, which the Ministry of Emergency Situations is required to conduct, in accordance with the Federal Law "On Fire Safety," said Nalchik lawyer Oleg Sergeev, commenting on the situation with the burned-down building.

"If, as residents indicate, the fire was caused by poor-quality meter replacement work by city gas workers, then the victims have the right to file claims against the agency. However, this will require an investigation and the presentation of evidence," the lawyer explained to a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

An expert assessment confirming that the fire was not the fault of the residents will allow the victims to claim compensation from the budget. While people are unable to return to their apartments, city authorities can provide them with temporary housing in temporary housing stock, if available, or rent housing for them for six months, the lawyer added.