A 34-year-old man died in hospital after being hit by a falling ice block while standing in line at the Lyubertsy military enlistment office in the Moscow region, the local prosecutor’s office said Thursday.
The accident on Wednesday left three other people injured, prompting investigators to open a criminal case of causing death by negligence.
A video shared online shows people jumping away from a massive falling icicle into puddles formed by melted snow.
The long queue at the military enlistment office in Lyubertsy began to form from the early hours of Wednesday, with many coming mainly for “routine matters” such as registration, eyewitness Alexei told MSK1.RU.
“I stood from 09:30 to 12:00,” Alexei said. “Pieces of ice started falling from the roof at that time, crashing loudly onto the ground near us.”
He described another victim “partially lucky” because the block narrowly missed her.
“Galina has injuries to the left side of her face, her cheek is swollen, and her leg is injured,” Alexei said.
The accident occurred as record-breaking snow drifts that covered the Moscow region the week before started to melt. The Phobos weather center warned on Monday of an increased risk of snow and ice falling from buildings.
Last week, a child in the Kaluga region died after snow fell from the roof of a residential building, causing injuries incompatible with life.
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