The absence of gas cylinder monitoring systems in our nation is contributing to an increase in both the frequency of explosions and the number of casualties. Explosive experts say that gas cylinders are like death traps. The carelessness of the cylinder users is one of the causes of the accident.
Gas leaks are usually caused by the malfunction of critical components like the cylinder hose pipe, regulator, and gas valve. Gas comes out of that leakage and accumulates somewhere outside. Terrible explosions can occur from small fires or even from gases that accumulate as sparks come into contact.
On June 16, a housewife called Roksi Akhter was fatally burned in an explosion that occurred in the kitchen of a home located in the Bashundhara residential sector of the city. Roxy suffered 55 percent burns. The accident took place in the kitchen on the ground floor of a building next to Evercare Hospital in the Bashundhara residential area. Four members of the same family, including a child, were burned.
A person named Kabir Hussain died in his sleep in a gas fire in the garage of Turag Housing in Adabar on June 11. About half a hundred people fell ill and were treated at the hospital in this incident. Panic spread among common people when the smell of gas spread throughout the area.
A woman named Shanta Akhtar died due to a gas explosion in her house on DIT Road in Madhya Badda on June 10. Shanta was brought to Dhaka Medical Hospital by Champa Khatun and her husband Ayanal from the neighboring house. "We use cylinders as there is no gas connection in our house. We are in panic, afraid to light the gas cylinder after this incident," they said.
Experts said that accidents are increasing with substandard cylinders. If cylinder quality testing is not done, it will not be possible to control such accidents.
"There are several reasons for the explosion of gas cylinders. One of them is the lack of an expiration date for the cylinder. Many times accidents are increasing due to fake cylinders, which no one sees," Prof. Ashiqur Rahman, an explosives expert at BUET, told the Khaborer Kagoj.
"There is a big lack of cylinder monitoring in our country. Special emphasis should be placed on monitoring explosion control and the removal of expired cylinders. Care should be taken to ensure that there is no hyperpressure in the gas cylinder. Hypertension is extremely harmful," he continued.
He added that even if there is excess gas pressure inside the cylinder, explosions often occur in moving vehicles. Many people do not know its usage. The number of explosions will decrease if gas cylinders are used properly.
Those concerned say that the risk of using cylinder gas is very high. So, you have to be careful when using gas cylinders. More accidents are happening due to the carelessness of customers.
Over 400 explosions from expired gas cylinders happened in 2023, according to sources from the fire service and other investigative intelligence agencies. More than one and a half hundred people were killed. In addition, 215 explosions and fires claimed the lives of over 100 individuals in the first half of this year.
As per the concern, a gas cylinder typically lasts for 15 years. However, 28-year-old cylinders are also being sold with LPG. Because of the marketing of gas in these old cylinders, there are more accidents and fatalities. At present, 80 percent of the gas market is controlled by various private LPG companies.
"Cylinder accidents are increasing due to technical errors, ignorance, and carelessness. The cylinder is becoming the death knell for making cooking easier. Therefore, everyone should be aware to prevent gas-related accidents," Shahjahan Shikder, officer-in-charge of the media cell of the Fire Service and Civil Defense, told the Khaborer Kagoj.
