Household gas in our homes

Natural gas in our homes is a common occurrence. We are so accustomed to it that we sometimes forget the tragedies that carelessness in the use of gas equipment can lead to. Safety in the use of natural gas depends on several factors. Firstly, on the condition of the gas supply system and gas equipment in residential buildings. Secondly, on the technical condition of smoke and ventilation ducts. The third factor is the strict observance of the Rules for the use of gas in everyday life by the consumers themselves.

During the heating season of 2018/2019, there were 14 incidents related to the use of gas in everyday life in the Republic of Belarus.

1)       On February 19, 2018, the emergency dispatch service of PU "Grodnogaz" received a notification of carbon monoxide poisoning at the address: Grodno, S. Batoriya St. The victim, born in 2005, was hospitalized at the Grodno Regional Children's Clinical Hospital. As of 5:30 AM on February 20, 2018, doctors confirmed the victim's death. The cause of the incident was the lack of draft in the chimney.

2)       On March 09, 2018, at 13:38, a notification was received by the specialized unit of the Sennensky RGS PU "Chashnikygaz" about the ignition of a gas-air mixture at the address: village. Lednevichi, Sennensky district.

Citizen B., born in 1958, turned on 3 burners of the gas stove, placed a kettle on one burner, and used the other two

3)       On April 13, 2018, at 18:34, the emergency dispatch service of PU "Vitebskgaz" received a notification from the Department of Emergency Situations about a suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at the address: Vitebsk, 5th Kirpichny Lane. The owner's son, who arrived at the specified address on the evening of April 13, found the door locked from the inside. After the door was opened by the summoned employees of the Department of Internal Affairs, two bodies were discovered in the house: citizen V., born in 1939 (the owner of the house), and citizen G., born in 1937. A gas heating boiler is installed in the house. The cause of the accident was the lack of draft in the chimney channel due to the collapse of the inner walls of the chimney. The inspection hatch of the chimney cleaning pocket (at the boiler installation site) was open. The ventilation duct in the mini-boiler room was bricked up and plastered.

4)       On April 18, 2018, at 11:21 AM, a report was received by the Emergency Dispatch Service of PU "Borisovgaz" regarding an explosion in an apartment of a multi-story residential building located at: Borisov district, Svetlaya Roshcha village. As a result of the incident, the apartment owner, born in 1968, was injured and taken to the hospital with burns. According to eyewitnesses of the incident, the injured person, for unknown reasons, voluntarily disconnected the gas meter from the gas pipeline, which resulted in the formation of a gas-air mixture in the premises, after which he himself ignited it. As a result of the explosion, the windows and the front door of this apartment were blown out, internal partitions were damaged, and windows in the stairwell were broken.

5)       On June 08, 2018, at 07:43, the dispatch service of the emergency repair department of UP "MINGAZ" received a notification from the Ministry of Emergency Situations regarding "carbon monoxide poisoning" at the address: Minsk region, Maslovichi village. The victims are citizen V., born in 1979, and citizen G., born in 2004. There were no fatalities. It was established that the causes of the accident (carbon monoxide entering residential premises) were violations of the Rules for the Use of Gas in Everyday Life, namely: lack of ventilation in the mini-boiler room; no fresh air supply during the operation of gas-using equipment; presence of foreign objects in the mini-boiler room (washing machine, dryers, household chemicals, etc.); contamination of the heat exchanger due to aggressive environment exposure.

6)       On June 19, 2018, at 17:27, the emergency dispatch service of Kostyukovichi RGS received a report from the Ministry of Emergency Situations regarding "gas-air mixture explosion without fire" in an apartment building at the address: Kostyukovichi city, Molodezhny microdistrict. Upon arrival at the scene, the specialized unit of Kostyukovichi RGS established that 4 gas stove burners were open in the kitchen and the meter was disconnected from the gas supply system. The victim, born in 1957, with burns on both hands, was taken to Kostyukovichi Central District Hospital.

7)       On July 11, 2018, at 14:25, a notification from the duty officer of the Ministry of Emergency Situations with the description "Fire in an apartment of a 9-story residential building" was received by the specialized unit of PU "Gomelgaz" at the address: Gomel, Minskaya St. At the time of arrival of the specialized unit employees, the valves on the gas stove and the pipe leading to it were in the "closed" position. As a result of a "bang" of gas-air mixture, plastic panels on the ceiling were partially melted and window panes in the kitchen were blown out.
The victim, the son of the apartment owner, born in 1982, sustained significant body burns (about 45%) and was hospitalized in the burn department of the 2nd clinical hospital in Gomel. The presumed cause of the incident is a suicide attempt by the victim. The victim left a corresponding note for his relatives in the room. Gas supply to the residential building was not interrupted.

8)       At 07:40 on 29.09.2018, the Zhlobin District Emergency Situations Unit received a report from the specialized unit of PU "ZhlobinGas" regarding carbon monoxide poisoning of citizen B., born in 1970, and citizen V., born in 2011, residing at: Zhlobin, 70 Let Pobedy St. The victims, exhibiting preliminary symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, were hospitalized at the Zhlobin Central District Hospital. During the inspection by the Emergency Dispatch Service personnel, a lack of draft in the chimney and blockage of the chimney with construction debris were identified. An inspection report on the technical condition of the chimney and ventilation ducts is missing. No repair requests for gas-using equipment have been received from the consumer.

9)        At 5:49 AM on 27.10.2018, the Zhlobin State Fire and Rescue Department received a report of an explosion in a multi-story residential building at the address: Zhlobin, microdistrict No. 3. The specialized unit of PU "ZhlobinGaz" discovered the consequences of a gas-air mixture explosion (without subsequent combustion) in an apartment on the 7th floor of a multi-story residential building supplied with natural gas. Due to the threat of structural collapse of the building, the Ministry of Emergency Situations evacuated all residents of the entrance, three of whom were hospitalized at the Zhlobin Central District Hospital – citizen B., born 1993 (resident of apartment No. 111) with significant body burns (about 45%); citizen V., born 1994, with a contusion of the left temporal region; and citizen G., born 1990, with a contusion of the right temporal region (residents of apartment No. 112). In the evening of 27.10.2018, citizen V. and citizen G. were discharged from the hospital. The nature of the injuries indicates a gas-air mixture explosion in the kitchen of apartment No. 111.

10)    On 28.10.2018, gas supply to the disconnected apartments of the 2nd entrance was restored. The cause of the incident was citizen B.'s violation of clause 42.4 of the Rules for the Use of Gas in Everyday Life – leaving a working gas stove unattended.

11) At 7:10 AM on 28.10.2018, the specialized unit of PU "Berezagaz" received information about carbon monoxide poisoning at the address: Berezovsky district, village Yastrebels. Upon arrival of the specialized unit of PU "Berezagaz" at the scene, it was found that the valve on the descent to the AOGV-11.6 gas boiler was closed (closed by a neighbor after the incident was discovered), and the ventilation duct was blocked with a rag. There was draft in the chimney. The concentration of carbon monoxide and the smell of gas in the house were absent. A rag was found in the exhaust pipe of the gas boiler. The primary version of the accident is carbon monoxide poisoning due to the owner's violation of the rules for using heating equipment (gas and solid fuel boiler).

12) On 04.12.2018 at 12:29, the Myadel Regional Gas Service of the Molodechnogaz branch received a report from the Central Operations Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus regarding a residential house fire at the address: Myadel district, Prudniki village. After extinguishing the fire, a 50-liter gas cylinder was found in the boiler room. It was delivered and connected by the delivery team of the Kniahinin Gas Filling Station on 04.12.2018 around 11:00 AM. According to the statement of citizen B., the husband of the homeowner, this cylinder was disconnected by himself and moved by him to the boiler room to be replaced with an existing unregistered gas cylinder. The fire occurred from the existing solid fuel boiler, as the gas cylinder valve was slightly open. Citizen B. refused hospitalization. The wife, with leg burns, was taken to the 2nd district hospital in Krivichi town. An act for the seizure of 2 gas cylinders was drawn up by the emergency team of the Myadel Regional Gas Service.

13) On 04.12.2018 at 15:59, the Borisovgaz branch received a report from the Central Operations Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus regarding an explosion in a residential house at the address: Borisov city, Adamovich street. The owner of the house, born in 1979, was injured. As of 17.12.2018, the victim is undergoing treatment at a healthcare facility in Minsk. The causes of the explosion are being established. An investigation is being conducted by the Investigative Committee.

14) On 28.12.2018 at 19:04, the GlubokoeGaz branch received a report from the Central Dispatch Office of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus regarding a residential house fire at the address: Urozhaynaya village, Glubokoe district.

After extinguishing the fire, it was found that Citizen B. had left an independently installed, operational gas stove unattended, connected to an unregistered gas cylinder, on which a pot of food was placed. This subsequently led to a fire in the kitchen, resulting in the destruction of the kitchen walls and the house roof. As a result of the incident, 2 people sustained thermal burns of varying degrees of severity. The cause was the subscriber's violation of gas usage rules in everyday life.

P.S. GAS DOES NOT FORGIVE MISTAKES!

Moments can be decisive in our lives: if you decide to change a gas cylinder yourself, an hour later your home might be gone; if you forget to check the draft before lighting a boiler or a water heater, you might lose your loved ones or perish yourself. Do not forget to observe the rules for using gas in everyday life; unfortunately, they are written in blood.

We remind you that in the republic there is a short number 104, which you must call if you smell gas. If this happens at your home, turn off the gas, ventilate the room, and do not turn electrical appliances on or off, use electric bells, smoke, or light a fire. You should leave the premises and call the emergency service of the gas supply organization.