Gas explosions probe committee to reveal findings soon

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Committee appointed by the President to probe gas-related explosions stated to News 1st that it will provide the required expertise to address the matter soon. Moreover, the committee said it will inform the media about its findings next week, although it has two weeks to submit the report. The Consumer Affairs Authority says it has allowed gas cylinder supplies to resume under certain conditions. Accordingly, the gas supplies will resume after the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation tests samples of stocks imported by both gas companies. This includes; not releasing previously imported cylinders; filling cylinders with the chemical odorant Mercaptan; inspecting every 1 in 100 cylinders and sending the serial number to the Consumer Affairs Authority. Gas cylinders will be released to the market under the supervision of a committee appointed to ensure that these conditions are met. Our attempts to contact the chairman of Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. on the changes in gas cylinders supplied to the market today (05), proved futile. However, Thilak de Silva, the Deputy Chairman of Laugfs Gas said the gas cylinders imported by the company were tested and that its standards were confirmed. Meanwhile, gas explosions occurred in several parts of the country on Sunday (05). Accordingly, a gas leak had occurred after a regulator was removed from a gas cylinder that was brought to a hotel near the Baddegama Bus Halt in Galle. The hotel owner had then moved the cylinder outside the store. An eatery in Kurundankulam in Anuradhapura was damaged after a fire broke out because of a gas explosion, while a gas cooker had exploded at a house in Bodagodawatte in Gonapinuwala on Sunday (04). A gas cooker had exploded at a house in Irattakulam in Madampe about 30 minutes after it was turned off, while two gas explosions had occurred in Hingurakgoda and Kalagahala on Saturday (04) and Sunday (05). The occupants of a house in Hatton had carefully moved a cylinder outdoors after they sensed a gas leak upon returning to the home at around 7 last night. Moreover, a gas stove had exploded at a house in Irakkamar in Ampara last night and a regulator had caught fire on a gas cylinder in Surankar in Trincomalee. In addition, a gas cooker had caught fire in Shanthipuram in Mannar as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg-gfGPGMZ0