A gas cylinder blast caused a huge fire in a house in Dewas of Madhya Pradesh last Saturday. Husband, wife and two children died in this accident. The thing was, there was a dairy under the house, where the gas cylinder burst. Due to this, smoke filled the second floor, in which all four people died due to suffocation.
This kind of tragedy is not the first time. Incidents of gas cylinder blasts keep coming to our notice every day. In most cases, carelessness is the main reason for this. LPG catches fire very quickly, which can cause loss of life and property due to explosion. So special care should be taken while using gas cylinder at home.
So today In work news We will talk about, what things should be taken care of while using a gas cylinder? You will also know that-
- When can a gas cylinder explode?
- What to do if there is gas leakage from the cylinder?
Expert: Sajid Khan, Assistant Fire Officer, Fire Department, Bhopal
Question- When can a gas cylinder explode? Answer: Bhopal Assistant Fire Officer Sajid Khan says that the biggest reason for gas cylinder blast is gas leakage. Also, if a gas cylinder is kept in direct sunlight or is dropped from a height, the gas pressure in it increases, which can cause a gas explosion. There are some other reasons for this as well. such as-
- A loose connection between the gas cylinder and the stove can cause gas leakage and subsequent explosion.
- Using an expired gas cylinder can also cause an explosion.
- If the gas pipe is too old, there is a high chance of gas leakage, which can lead to cylinder blast.
Question- Why is it necessary to carry out pre-delivery test of LPG gas cylinder? Answer- Often people check the weight of the gas cylinder at the time of delivery, but forget or ignore the pre-delivery test of the cylinder for safety, in fact it is just as important. Taking cylinders without pre-delivery test may lead to future accidents.
Q- How pre-delivery test of any cylinder is done?
Answer: Customers should get pre-delivery test done by the delivery boy before taking the cylinder. A few things need special attention in this. Understand this from the following graphic-
Question- How can we check if the expiry date of gas cylinder is over? Answer : The expiration date of a gas cylinder is written on it like a code on three wide bars. These codes look something like this. Like A-25, B-26, C-27 or D-28. In this code, ABCD stands for month, while the numbers indicate its expiry year. Understand it like this-
- A means – January, February and March
- B stands for – April, May and June
- C stands for July, August, September
- D stands for – October, November and December
Assuming your gas cylinder is marked B-27, your cylinder will expire between April and June 2027.
Q- What types of mistakes should not be made while using gas cylinders? Answer- There are a few things to keep in mind while using LPG cylinders at home or shop. Like the gas supply pipe is not broken from somewhere and the gas is not leaking. Apart from this, there are some things that need to be kept in mind. Understand it from the following graphic-
Q- How to know if there is gas leakage from the cylinder? Answer: Assistant Fire Officer Sajid Khan says you can check for gas leakage by smelling it. Ethyl mercaptan (a chemical) is added to LPG cylinders, which causes a smell like rotten eggs, onions or garlic in case of gas leakage. If such a smell occurs, it may be a sign of gas leakage.
Apart from this, gas leakage can also be checked with the help of water. For this, pour some water in the cylinder where the regulator is installed. If bubbles are rising from it, it is a sign that gas is leaking.
Question- What to do if gas leaks from a gas cylinder? Answer- Don't panic if gas is leaking, instead take some safety measures immediately. First turn off the regulator. If any flammable material is kept nearby, remove it. Apart from this, it is necessary to take care of some other things. Understand it from the following graphic-
Question: If there is gas leakage from the cylinder, to whom do you complain? Answer- Call the toll free helpline number 1906 for emergency complaints related to LPG gas. This number is available 24*7. You have to provide the account number of your gas connection for complaint. After this the gas company or disaster management department will help you.
Question: What to do if a gas cylinder catches fire? Answer: Always keep in mind that even if the cylinder catches fire due to gas leakage, the cylinder will not explode immediately. So, without panic, soak a cotton sheet, blanket or a large towel in water and wrap it tightly around the cylinder. It will extinguish the fire.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
