SVIRSK, Irkutsk region, April 27 (Itar-Tass) — The Irkutsk police have identified suspects in a diesel fuel spill in the River Angara, which happened on Wednesday. About 44 tonnes of diesel fuel spilled into the river from an illegal connection to the pipeline of the Pribaikalye enterprise.
Six residents of Usulye-Sibirskoye may be involved in the spill directly or indirectly, head of the regional emergency situations department Alexander Obukhov said on Friday. In his words, three suspects have been detained.
Prosecutors are holding inspections at Pribaikalskoye and Usulyekhimprom – the owner of the collector through which the diesel fuel oozed into the river. He said both enterprises would be sued.
Two criminal cases have been opened, including theft from the crude pipeline (Part 3, Article 158) and pollution of drinking water (Article 250 of the Russian Criminal Offenses Code).
The Irkutsk regional authorities agreed that China would supply activated charcoal for cleaning up the River Angara. It is planned to install charcoal filters in the water intake and to use activated charcoal for collecting the spill on the river water.
Cold tap water supply was cut to three towns in the Cheremkhovsky district with the total population of 75,000 people. Free drinking water is supplied there.