Attempts were made to melt frozen drinking water dispensers with fire in Mykolaiv
- News of Mykolaiv
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- Alina Kvitko
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10:22, 11 February, 2026
Equipment at a purified water distribution point, which was damaged during an attempt to heat it with fire. Photo: OblteploIn Mykolaiv, equipment at a purified water distribution point was burned after attempts to heat frozen vending machines with open fire.
Mykola Lohvinov, director of OKP Mykolaivoblteploenergo, reported the incident in a comment to NikVesti.
According to him, people tried to heat the taps and buttons of the dispensers themselves, presumably because the water had frozen. As a result of this intervention, the internal plastic elements were damaged, water leaked and the equipment was flooded.
«This was most likely not arson. The equipment itself are electrically heated. The water probably froze, and someone decided to melt it in this way. As a result, the equipment was simply burned — it is all very sensitive there,» said Mykola Lohvinov.
This is the first such case in the city, but the company does not rule out the possibility of similar situations recurring.
«This is the first case so far. But people are resourceful, so I wouldn't be surprised if it happens again,» added the director of the company.
We would like to remind you that in Mykolaiv, due to frost and power cuts, there have been problems with the operation of water distribution points — taps freeze and people cannot get water. The most stable points of operation are those installed by Mykolaivoblteploenergo. For more details, see the explanatory note NikVesti: «Heat, water distribution points and school operations: the current situation in Mykolaiv».
In addition, Oleksandr Sienkevych called on the municipal enterprises Mykolaivoblteploenergo, DEZ Pilot and Mykolaivelektrotrans to check the lighting at free water distribution points in the evening.

This material was created within the framework of the project «Supporting the Sustainability of Ukrainian Media», which is implemented by the international organization Internews with financial support from Sweden. The content of the material is the sole responsibility of the NGO «Mykolaiv Media Hub» and does not necessarily reflect the official position of Sweden or Internews.

