On the prevention of accidents and incidents, as well as on accidents and incidents that occurred in the Republic of Belarus in 2023 and the first 9 months of 2024 due to citizens' violation of the Rules of Gas Use in Everyday Life
Analysis of accidents and incidents related to domestic gas use shows that the main causes are violations of the Rules for Domestic Gas Use. The most frequent violations of the Rules leading to tragic consequences include unauthorized interference by citizens with gas-using equipment, namely: unauthorized connection, replacement, and repair of gas equipment.
Furthermore, accidents and incidents are caused by the negligent attitude of certain citizens towards the requirements of the Rules regarding timely maintenance of gas equipment and inspection of the technical condition of smoke and ventilation ducts.
The main measures to prevent accidents and incidents are:
- In case of detecting malfunctions in gas equipment, smoke and ventilation ducts, as well as when connecting and disconnecting equipment, repairing or relocating it, it is mandatory to contact specialists from the gas supply organization, who will perform the relevant work in compliance with safety measures and ensure the proper functioning of the gas equipment;
- Ensuring timely maintenance of gas equipment, timely inspection of the technical condition of smoke and ventilation ducts, as well as regular inspection of the outlets of smoke and ventilation ducts during the winter period to prevent freezing and blockage;
- Installation of natural (liquefied) and carbon monoxide gas detectors in rooms with gas equipment;
- Using gas equipment strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's operating manuals, keeping it clean, and not using gas equipment for unintended purposes;
- Do not leave gas stoves unattended while operating, and after using gas equipment, close the valves leading to it;
- upon expiration of the service life of gas-using equipment, taking measures for its replacement or carrying out a set of works to determine its technical condition and residual life;
- do not allow storage of gas cylinders in an unconnected state to the gas supply unit;
- do not allow persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs to use gas equipment, ensure that all persons using gas equipment undergo training on the rules for using gas;
- in rooms with gas equipment, ensure fresh air supply, constantly monitor the draft in smoke and ventilation ducts;
- if a gas odor appears, immediately stop using the gas equipment, close the taps on it and before it, open windows to ventilate the room, and immediately report to the gas supply organization by phone. 104. In this case, it is forbidden to use open flames, turn on and off lighting and electrical appliances. It is necessary to remove people and domestic animals from the gas-contaminated premises.
Below are accidents and incidents that occurred due to violations of the Rules for the Use of Gas in Everyday Life in 2023 and the current period of 2024.
2023:
On March 6, 2023, four citizens were poisoned by carbon monoxide in an apartment of a residential building in Minsk.
Possible causes of the accident and the ingress of carbon monoxide into the apartment premises could be a combination of the following factors:
- unstable (reverse) draft in the smoke duct from the water heater with a closed window.
- leakage (violation of tightness) of the smoke duct walls at the installation site of the electrical panel in the stairwell.
On April 6, 2023, a domestic gas poisoning occurred in a residential building in the village of Gorodishche, Pinsk district, Brest region.
The cause of the incident was a violation of the rules for the use of gas in everyday life.
11.05.2023 in a residential building in Baranovichi, Brest region, a child sustained burns of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degrees while using a gas stove.
The cause was the victim's personal negligence, careless handling of fire while using the gas stove, and the fact that a child under 12 years of age was allowed to use gas-consuming equipment.
18.05.2023 in an apartment of a residential building in Bobruisk, Mogilev region, two people suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, resulting in fatalities.
The causes of the accident were as follows:
- Installation of a forced ventilation device above the gas stove in a room equipped with a gas water heater with an open combustion chamber, which resulted in inadequate ventilation and fresh air supply during the operation of gas-consuming equipment.
- Absence of an autonomous carbon monoxide detector (alarm) in the room where gas-consuming equipment with organized flue gas removal is installed.
- Absence of a door in the kitchen according to the technical passport of the residential premises.
- The consumer failed to ensure timely maintenance of the gas water heater.
22.05.2023 in an apartment of a residential building in Bobruisk, Mogilev region, a child sustained thermal burns while using a gas stove.
The cause was the victim's personal negligence, careless handling of fire while using the gas stove, and the fact that a child under 12 years of age was allowed to use gas-consuming equipment.
05.06.2023 in a residential building in the village of Golovnitsy, Lyakhovichsky district, Brest region, a citizen born in 1972 sustained thermal burns while using a stove during cooking. The cause was the victim's personal negligence.
On 22.06.2023, a residential building caught fire in the village of Gudy, Lida district, due to a short circuit in the ignition unit of a gas stove.
On 15.08.2023, in an apartment of a residential building in Vitebsk, Chkalov Street, while cooking on a gas stove, a citizen's clothing caught fire. The citizen was taken to a healthcare facility and subsequently died. The cause of the incident was careless handling of fire while using the gas stove.
On 30.10.2023, a fire occurred in a residential building in the village of Volkovichi, Kamenets district, Brest region. The direct cause of the fire was leaving a working gas stove unattended.
On 30.10.2023, a residential building caught fire in the village of Kovgary, Osipovichi district, Mogilev region, due to leaving a working gas stove unattended.
On 20.11.2023, two children born in 2013 and 2017, and one adult born in 1986, were hospitalized at the Gomel City Emergency Hospital with signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. The cause of the incident was the gas consumer's disregard for the timely technical maintenance of gas-using equipment, regular inspection of the technical condition of smoke and ventilation ducts, as well as the presence of a cap on the chimney. The causes of the accident were as follows:
- the consumer did not ensure timely inspection of the technical condition of smoke and ventilation ducts;
- the presence of an installed cap on the chimney;
- the absence of an autonomous detector (alarm) for carbon monoxide in the room where gas-using equipment with organized combustion product removal is installed;
- the consumer's disregard for timely technical maintenance of gas equipment.
On 28.11.2023, a citizen born in 1983 was hospitalized in the urban-type settlement of Bol'shevik, Gomel district, with preliminary signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The cause was the prolonged use of the hob for heating the premises, lack of air supply, and downdraft in a residential building, leading to the formation of carbon monoxide due to strong wind. The consumer did not adhere to the scheduled inspection of smoke and ventilation ducts, and a hood was found above the smoke duct outlet, along with the absence of a carbon monoxide detector.
On 05.12.2023, a wall and ceiling collapse occurred in a two-story apartment building in the agro-town of Zakharnichi, Polotsk district, Vitebsk region. Two victims were hospitalized. The investigation established that the accident was related to the formation of a gas-air mixture in the kitchen of apartment No. 13 at the aforementioned address due to the intentional actions of a citizen.
On 19.12.2023, in an apartment in the city of Brest, a child received burns from the flame of a gas burner. The cause of the incident was careless handling of fire while using a built-in gas hob. The consumer failed to undergo timely instruction on the rules for using gas in everyday life.
2024:
On 18.02.2024, a fire occurred in a two-apartment residential building in the village of Gorodets, Bykhovsky district, Mogilev region, which was supplied with gas by an individual cylinder installation. The presumed cause of the incident is a violation of the rules for using gas in everyday life due to leaving a gas stove unattended while it was operating.
On 15.04.2024, a fire occurred in a residential building in the village of Yastrebelsk, Berezovsky district, Brest region, resulting in the deaths of 4 children born in 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2024. The presumed cause of the incident is a violation of fire safety requirements.
On 15.04.2024, in the village of Nivy, Berezovsky District, Brest Region, a gas consumer, being in a state of alcoholic intoxication, was warming himself by an ignited gas stove, which resulted in his clothes catching fire. The direct cause of the burns sustained by the consumer himself was careless handling of fire while using gas-consuming equipment.
On 29.04.2024, in the village of Emelyanovo, Smolevichi District, Minsk Region, a fire occurred in a private single-family residential house supplied with natural gas. The presumed cause of the incident was leaving gas-consuming equipment (hob) unattended while in operation.
On 24.05.2024, in the agro-town of Dobreyka, Shklovsky District, Mogilev Region, a fire occurred in a single-story house, caused by a gas stove left unattended and switched on.
On 26.06.2024, in the city of Mogilev, in a multi-apartment residential building, a fire occurred in an apartment, resulting in damage to the apartment's property. The fact of leaving a working gas stove unattended by the gas consumer was established, which led to the apartment fire.
On 28.06.2024, in the village of Zastenok Usterkhi, Glussky District, Mogilev Region, a gas consumer sustained burns due to unauthorized connection and disconnection of gas equipment and an attempted suicide by the consumer.
On 05.07.2024, in the village of Ostrovlyany, Kobrinsky District, Brest Region, a consumer sustained burns of I-III degree while attempting to extinguish a gas water heater with improvised means. The cause of this incident was careless handling of fire during the ignition of the gas water heater, as well as the malfunction and operation of gas-consuming equipment (water heater) with an expired service life.
23.07.2024, in the village of Berestovets, Kormyansky district, Gomel region, a residential house caught fire. The cause of the incident was careless handling of fire with a self-installed individual cylinder unit.
16.08.2024, in the agro-town of Gayna, Logoysky district, Minsk region, a fire occurred with the death of the owner in an extension to an apartment of a one-story residential building divided into two apartments. The unauthorized connection of gas equipment to an unregistered cylinder unit is considered a possible cause.
06.09.2024, in the horticultural partnership "Zeleny Ostrov" (Green Island), Buda-Kashalevsky district, Gomel region, a house caught fire when attempting to light a gas stove in a gas-filled room. As a result of the fire, the owner of the house sustained thermal burns due to the unauthorized connection of the gas stove to an unregistered cylinder unit.
30.09.2024, in the horticultural partnership "Vyshkоvo", a fire occurred in a single-family residential house, the presumed cause of which was the operation of an unregistered cylinder unit with gas leaks and checking connections with an open flame.
In turn, throughout the republic, as well as in the Vitebsk region, there is an increase in incidents related to careless handling of fire when using gas stoves.
For reference, incidents that occurred in the Vitebsk region:
23.12.2023, in an apartment of a multi-story residential building in Vitebsk, Gagarin Street, clothing caught fire from a gas stove that was turned on due to the loss of consciousness and deterioration of the gas consumer's well-being.
30.07.2024, in the village of Luzhesno, Vitebsk district, in an apartment of a multi-story residential building, the consumer sustained injuries as a result of falling onto a gas stove that was turned on. Subsequently, the consumer was taken to a healthcare facility, where he died. The cause was a deterioration of well-being.
On 05.10.2024, a fire occurred in a single-family residential building in Vitebsk, 10th Luchskaya Street. A female citizen born in 1936, of pre-retirement age (living with family), died in the fire. Two versions of the incident are being considered (Version 1. Ignition of clothing due to close proximity to a gas stove, resulting in the deceased suffering a heart attack. Version 2. As a result of a heart attack, the deceased fell onto a gas stove with a lit burner, causing her clothing to ignite). Currently, the true cause of the fire is being established by the Investigative Committee.
On 09.10.2024, in an apartment of a multi-apartment residential building in Vitebsk, Chkalov Street, while using a gas stove after her clothing caught fire, a female citizen born in 1949 sustained thermal burns to her body, which led to her death. The cause of the incident was careless handling of fire while using the gas stove.