Drive to raise awareness of gas leak incidents
The Rawalpindi district administration has decided to launch a massive campaign to raise awareness of the rising incidents of explosions caused by the gas leak.
The local administration in collaboration with Rescue 1122 and the Civil Defence will launch the awareness campaign of the gas leak hazards. During the winter, dozens of gas leak explosions occur in houses, shops and hotels due to human negligence.
The awareness drive aims to inform the masses about preventive measures to avoid the loss of life and property due to gas leakage and explosion.
Sources said that during the awareness campaign, substandard gas cylinders, burners, stoves, heaters and geysers will be identified and citizens will be urged to stop using them.
The awareness campaign will be started from schools and colleges, where students will be provided information on the gas leak and preventive measures. Awareness lectures will be delivered with the help of LEDs and projectors on major highways and crowded bazaars.
Large banners will be hung at the airport, railway stations and bus stands to provide information to citizens on how to prevent gas leak explosions.
The sources said that teams of the Sui gas department will be involved in the awareness campaign. Homeowners and contractors will be given useful tips regarding in-house gas piping and installations to avoid such horrific explosions in the future. Rescue 1122 officials said that time will be needed to raise awareness among the citizens about gas leak explosions.
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They said that Rescue 1122 attached great importance to the issue and an awareness campaign was already under way and messages regarding the safe use of gas were being sent to consumers through social media. They said that 90 per cent of gas leak blasts were caused by the negligence of citizens.
Four of family burnt
A woman and her three children suffered burns when a fire broke out in their house due to gas leakage on Misryal Road on Friday.
Police said that the 32-year-old woman Anam Sajid tried to safe her children from the fire and in that struggle she suffered 60 per cent burns.
The Rescue 1122 team reached the spot and shifted the injured to Holy Family Hospital Burn Unit where the condition of the woman is stated to be critical.
Rescue 1122 spokesman said the victim's family was staying on the third floor of the house. In the morning one of their rooms was filled with fire due to gas leakage. The woman lit a match which caused the explosion, he added.
The children who suffered minor burns were identified as eight-year-old Dua Sajid, 10-year-old Iman Sajid and 13-year-old Momin Sajid.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2021.