ST. PETERSBURG, December 27 (RIA Novosti) – A woman was killed by an icicle that fell from the roof of a building in Russia’s northwestern city of St. Petersburg, a spokeswoman for local emergencies services reported on Thursday.
“At about 5 p.m. an icicle fell on a 44-year-old woman. She died of her injuries,” the spokeswoman said, adding that the incident occurred in downtown Apraksin Lane.
An investigation is underway. Those responsible for keeping the building free of dangerous icicles face up to three years in prison.
Two people were also injured when ice and snow fell from city roofs in two districts of the city on Thursday evening.
Falling icicles caused a number of injuries and deaths in St. Petersburg over the previous two winters.