05 may

Commission examines building materials used to construct attic-like apartments that burned

A commission of the Chisinau City Hall started to assess the design documents and the building materials used to erect the attic-like apartment story in Botanica district that was destroyed by fire on May 1. The results will be made public in a week. On May 3, the commission met with dwellers of the burned apartments on the spot, IPN reports.

Chisinau councilor Oleg Cernei, who is a member of the commission, said that additional works were performed after 2010, when the attic-like apartment story was transferred under the administration of the Dwellers Association. The persons built verandas and laid pipes and cables without the authorities’ consent. Representatives of the company “Stil Casa”, which built the apartments, will be invited to a meeting at the Chisinau City Hall on May 5. Those apartments were sold at the price of €550 per square meter, which is an exaggerated one. The owners of the company made a profit of 50% of the sum invested in the apartments.

Also on May 5, the reserve fund commission will decide what assistance the dwellers of the burned apartments will receive. Deputy head of Botanica district Boris Prepelita said “Stil Casa” constructed other buildings in Chisinau and the dwellers can be lodged there.

One of the persons whose apartments burned said they paid €33,000 for the dwelling. The woman, who has two children, took out a bank loan repayable in 15 years. She now lives with her sister, but does not know what she will do further. Everything they owned was destroyed by fire.

Another woman with a child aged eight months said she bought the apartment for €36,000 three years ago. Meanwhile, she invested money in repair and in furniture. If the authorities do not help them, they will have to go abroad to work.

The persons living on the fifth floor under the attic-like apartment story were also affected. Their apartments were flooded when the fire was being extinguished.

As many as 28 apartments were destroyed by fire on May 1. All of them were inhabited. Among the examined causes of fire are a short circuit and the reckless use of open fire.
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