Prosecutors instituted criminal proceedings in the case of the blast that occurred in an apartment building on Moscovei Blvd in Chisinau and are carrying out an investigation to identify those to blame. They have a suspect, but do not have sufficient evidence to charge this, the head of the Chisinau City Prosecutor’s Office Ștefan Șaptefrați has told IPN.

According to the prosecutor, the  investigation into this case is conducted based on Article 149 of the Penal Code - killing out of imprudence that carries a penalty of at most six years in jail - and on Article 293 - violation of the rules of keeping, transporting and using highly flammable or corrosive substances that is punished with a fine of 42,500 to 67,500 lei, community service or up to three years in jail.

The Chisinau City Prosecutor’s Office ordered a number of inspections to establish the cause of the blast, including the examination of the gas cylinder found at the scene.

Four persons, among whom a four-year-old child, died in the October 6 explosion. Three persons remain hospitalized – the 33-year-old woman in whose apartment the blast occurred, a woman with different injuries and a fireman who was hurt during the rescue operation.