Russia: Child among five people killed after boiling water floods hotel

A five-year-old girl and her mother are reportedly among the victims after a hot water pipe burst at the Mini Hotel Caramel, Perm.

The Mini Hotel Caramel, where five people died after a hot water pipe exploded in the night, flooding a basement. Pic: Russian Emergencies Ministry
Image: The hotel is located in the basement of a residential building. Pic: Russian Emergencies Ministry
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Five people - including a child - have died after a pipe exploded and flooded a hotel in Russia with boiling water.

A five-year-old girl and her mother were reportedly among the victims following the incident at the Mini Hotel Caramel in Perm, more than 700 miles east of Moscow.

All of the victims were staying at the nine-room hotel, which is located in the basement of a residential building in the city near Russia's Ural Mountains.

As well as those killed, six people were injured, including at least three who were taken to hospital suffering from burns.

Andrei Babikov, a doctor treating the victims, said a 33-year-old woman had burns covering 35% of her body, while two men aged 28 and 35 were in a less serious condition.

The rooms did not have windows and there was only one exit for trapped people to escape through, according to reports.

A witness was quoted as saying the water was boiling and it "went up to the front door of the hotel".

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"I am scared to imagine what was going on inside," the witness added.

Oleg Melnichenko, a local politician, said the Russian parliament might consider a ban on opening hotels or hostels in the basements of such buildings.

"Hostels shouldn't be open in basements, where all pipelines are located," Mr Melnichenko said.

Police have launched an investigation into possible negligence.

Last year Russian parliament banned opening hostels or hotel rooms in flats in residential buildings.

The heating pipe that exploded had been used since 1962 and had broken repeatedly in the past, an emergency services worker claimed.

"There were no victims in previous explosions," the source said. "It was not replaced, only repaired."

According to the hotel's listing on Booking.com, a double room for two people costs 1170 roubles (£15) per night.