Russian businessman jailed after teen dies from inhaling liquefied gas

A businessman in Nakhodka has been convicted over the death of a teenager who inhaled liquefied gas sold to him in 2025. The court found the sole trader guilty of negligence after the 17-year-old suffered fatal butane poisoning. Prosecutors in Primorsky Krai pushed for the verdict following an earlier acquittal.

The incident began in February 2025, when the entrepreneur sold three canisters of liquefied gas to the teenager. The sale violated existing regulations on handling such substances. Shortly after, the boy inhaled the gas, leading to acute poisoning and his death.

Initially, the defendant was acquitted in the criminal case. However, prosecutors challenged the ruling, and a retrial took place. This time, the court found him guilty under Part 1 of Article 109 of the Russian Criminal Code for causing death by negligence. The victim's mother filed a civil claim for compensation, covering both moral and material damages. The court upheld her request as part of the final judgment. The businessman received a sentence of one year and six months with restricted freedom. No similar rulings against private gas dealers in other Russian regions have been reported since 2020.

The case marks a rare conviction for negligence involving household gas sales in Russia. The defendant's sentence includes restricted freedom and financial compensation to the victim's family. Legal observers note the retrial's role in reversing the initial acquittal.