Public awareness needed to reduce gas cylinder tragedy
Accidents due to explosions in gas cylinders, which have become an indispensable part of our daily lives, especially in cities and towns, are not stopping.
In fact, these accidents are increasing day by day, disappointingly.
Three people were killed and ten others injured in gas cylinder explosions in Chittagong city and in capital Dhaka on the same day on Monday.
According to media reports, a horrific incident took place on Monday when a gas cylinder exploded in a house in Halishahar area of Chittagong city. Nine people, including women and children, were burnt.
Three of them died. On the same day, four people, including a woman and a child, from the same family were burned in a fire caused by a gas leak in the capital’s Rayerbazar area.
They are undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in critical condition.
LPG cylinder accidents are not a new problem in the country.
For years, terrible accidents have been happening around it. It has become a destiny that the number of accidents related to this will exceed the number every year.
Though the exact reasons for the explosions have already been identified, the solution has not been found.
Whenever a major accident occurs due to cylinder explosion, various discussions are heard.
How can it be resolved, who is more responsible, who is less responsible, all the media and citizens are involved in such discussions. After a few days, all the discussions disappear.
The crisis remains the same as before. Accidents also continue to happen. This is how it goes.
The question is, when will this situation end? A consolidated data from the first half of last year shows that the highest number of fires, i.e. 8,705, occurred in homes. Among these, cylinder explosions and gas leakage are significant causes.
Experts say that it is possible to avoid this terrible explosion with awareness and regular monitoring, especially checking for a rotten egg smell or a ‘hissing’ sound, and turning off the cylinder and stove after use.
We believe that while the government and relevant institutions and individuals have a responsibility to prevent gas cylinder explosions and accidents, there is also a lack of public awareness.
Steps such as conducting regular mobile courts, making annual cylinder testing mandatory, and taking legal action against expired cylinders should be increased to stop the marketing of low-quality cylinders.
In addition, the government and the media must play an important role in creating public awareness to reduce accidents and risks.
