Gas cylinder blasts on the rise

KABUL): Nine people were killed and 36 others injured in gas cylinders blasts across the country over the past one month, an official said on Tuesday.  

Most of the explosions took place in Balkh, Khost, Nangarhar and Kabul. Seven member of a family were killed and three others injured when a gas cylinder exploded in the Deh Mazang area of Kabul.  

Dr. Ahmad Shah Wazir, in charge of the burn unit at Isteqlal Hospital, told Pajhwok Afghan News nearly a hundred people injured in gas cylinder explosions were brought to the hospital last year.

Most of the incidents took place due to people’s carelessness and low quality of cylinders, he said.       

Public health ministry spokesman, Ghulam Sakhi Kargar, said they had already launched a 15-day public awareness drive for avoiding burn injuries. However, the ministry has no programme to check gas cylinder blasts.

Afghanistan Natural Disaster Management Authority official Mohammad Siddiqui said most of gas cylinders explosions happened due to unawareness and carelessness.

He suggested the ministries of higher education, education and information should be involved in public awareness campaigns.  

Without giving details, Ahmad Shah said of the 7,000 people hospitalised this year, 6,500 were with burn injuries.

mm/mud