It resulted from a conflict between gas company workers who were having a picnic there, and drunken Soviet border guards.

One of the border guards opened fire with an assault rifle, killing nine people at the picnic and wounding 13.

In addition, he shot at one of the border guards who had come to stop him, who later died in hospital.

[1] The commander of the border guard unit, who took responsibility, reportedly also committed suicide.

[2] A memorial stone was erected for the victims of the massacre in 1991 and the names of those who died were added in 1996.