Kazakh court sentences three to prison over Shchuchinsk cafe blast that killed 12
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A court in Kazakhstan's Burabay district sentenced three men on September 7, 2026, over a gas explosion at a Shchuchinsk cafe that killed 12 people and injured 11. The cafe's tenant and a gas station director received seven-year prison terms, while a gas delivery man was sentenced to six years. The verdicts have not yet entered into legal force.
Key Facts
- The explosion at the 'Tsentr Plova' cafe in Shchuchinsk on February 26, 2026, killed 12 people and injured 11.
- The cafe's tenant and the director of the autogas filling station were each sentenced to seven years in prison.
- The gas delivery man received a six-year prison sentence.
- The court partially satisfied civil claims for moral damages filed by 16 victims.
- The court issued a private ruling to the regional akim regarding deficiencies in fire safety prevention and interagency coordination.
The Explosion
On February 26, 2026, a gas-air mixture explosion followed by fire occurred at the one-story 'Tsentr Plova' cafe in Shchuchinsk. The blast killed 12 people and injured 11; among the injured were 15 kitchen and hall staff and 13 visitors. The explosion and fire were captured by a surveillance camera in a cafe across the street.
The Verdict
On September 7, 2026, the Burabay District Court found all three defendants guilty of the charges. The cafe tenant and the director of the autogas filling station were each sentenced to seven years in prison, and the gas delivery man to six years. The court partially satisfied civil claims for moral damages filed by 16 victims. The court also issued a private ruling to the regional akim, highlighting deficiencies in fire safety prevention and interagency coordination. The court decisions have not yet entered into legal force.
Safety Violations
The court established that the cafe owner allowed the use of gas cylinders in a public catering facility, stored them near heating radiators, and failed to provide staff instruction on gas equipment operation. The gas delivery man delivered two cylinders on February 25, 2026, one of which later exploded; the delivered cylinder was filled beyond the permissible norm. The director of the autogas filling station systematically sold gas into household cylinders without required documentation, equipment, measuring instruments, or trained personnel. The overfilled cylinder stored near a heating radiator caused gas heating, increased internal pressure, and rupture of the cylinder wall, leading to the fire.
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