By Khadidja Ba
Five months after a devastating explosion at their East Bank Demerara (EBD) shop “R&J Grocery Depot”, Jaiwantie Samaroo and her family are still waiting for any acknowledgment of fault from Massy Gas and compensation.
Last week, Stabroek News (SN) contacted Massy Gas for a comment on whether the company had completed its investigation and to share their findings. The statement was promised for submission on January 6th, 2025, but has not yet been provided.
The explosion, which occurred the day before Samaroo’s 51st birthday, caused second- and third-degree burns and severely damaged their property, but no specific action has been taken by the company or their legal representatives to address the incident. The explosion was captured on their neighbour’s video camera, recording both the visual and auditory aspects of the event.
The explosion took place early on the morning of August 1, 2024, at the family’s shop in New Scheme, Herstelling. Samaroo recounted the events leading up to the explosion to SN, saying, “I went downstairs to light the stove, and I saw the gas bottle I had was frothing up and freezing, so I took it out of the room and replaced it with another.” However, she opined that the bottle she replaced may not have been the culprit.
“The brains nah tell me that the thing bin a fume up whole night, when me light then me pitch way and the whole shop in fire, so is nah the bottle that meh change wuh bin cause the explosion, I feel was the one that was there overnight and did leaking.” She also mentioned that Massy Gas tested the same bottle responsible for the explosion and declared it was “okay.”
Her husband, Randolf Perreira, an ex-police officer, described the aftermath of the explosion, stating, “The fire service came the day the explosion happened and they did something. They took me under there and they said they will write a report in my favour. I said you don’t have to write a report in my favour, write wuh yuh see! You guys didn’t have to put out a fire, there is an explosion, there is the bottle that caused the explosion, it leak up in the shop, she scratched a match.”
Perreira was highly critical of the fire service. “I seh man there’s no need for that, we didn’t do anything illegal, we’re cooking, it’s not we’re doing any horseplay with the cylinder, so I said ayo do ayo job, and I walk away … We whole back wall blow away, everything just destroy, the wall everything blow away, the whole shop, it costs us close to $860,000 to fix back everything everything.”
Despite the severity of the incident, Perreira said that Massy Gas’ response was focused solely on the gas cylinder involved in the explosion, rather than the well-being of the family.
“Now Massy send five representatives, she [his wife] got discharged the same day and I asked them to just go up and give she a peep. They were just concerned about the bottle, they didn’t come to see anybody, they come to remove the bottle”, Perreira said.
He further described how the representatives seemed detached from the human aspect of the situation, explaining, “One of them named Ryan and a Mr. Inniss from Trinidad and there was a lady named Ms. Wilson. They came more than once, that Ryan guy was in the first batch, he came the second time too. Ms. Wilson spent the entire time she came, she was concerned with my wife, she was okay, but those guys every time they come they want the gas cylinder, three times they come and they want the gas cylinder.”
Samaroo and Perreira also expressed frustration with the legal process, claiming that their lawyer had failed to take action on their behalf.
“My lawyer post a letter to me, telling me that Massy say how the time has elapsed, how they can’t test the bottle anymore,” Perreira explained.
“I don’t know that they got expiry date to test the bottle. The time elapsed and they gave us enough time to go in with the bottle, they gave us enough time, they would not be testing the bottle anymore, I know my lawyer backed out.” He added that after seeking legal help in October, they had received no response.
“Mr. Bailey linked up this lawyer for us in like October time, I sent voice notes to this man the 23rd of December, he ain’t reply, the 22nd of December, if you see things wuh I sent to this man, the man not even replying boy”, Perreira lamented.
In December, the family filed a complaint with the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, providing a statement, photos of the gas cylinder, and even taking the cylinder to be tested for leaks. Despite this, they have yet to see any resolution. Perreira pointed to a second incident involving another leaking Massy gas cylinder. He recalled, “When my wife saw it, I messaged Mr. Inniss he didn’t reply, he had wanted me to take in the cylinder alone, now when we had a date to take in the cylinder, we have a lawyer … and we go in and (the lawyer) said we have to come with a professional person.” However, Perreira claimed that even their lawyer and a technician backed out at the last minute. “Everybody just backing out on us,” he said.
The family also disclosed to SN that they attempted to bring this situation to the attention of President Irfaan Ali, hoping that he would delegate responsibility and ensure that justice is served. However, they reported no response or intervention from that effort.
On January 6th this year, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission said it had noted recent incidents involving critical injuries to consumers and severe damage to property during the use of a particular brand of cooking gas product.
The Commission, according to a release extended its compassion to those affected and their families “even as we engage them privately”.
The CCAC reminded suppliers of goods and services that Part X, Section 78 of the Consumer Affairs Act No. 13 of 2011 requires that a person shall not:
Supply consumer goods or services which fail to comply with the general safety requirements Offer or agree to supply goods or services that are not safe; or
Expose or possess unsafe goods or goods or services supply.
A person who contravenes this subsection of the Act commits an offence.
“Following the first two official complaints filed by the affected persons, we have commenced our investigations which will engage the relevant industry experts to make assessments and recommendations based on their findings. The CCAC intends to pursue these investigations until there is redress”, according to the release.
“In the meantime, we urge consumers to exercise the greatest caution and safety protocols during the use of cooking gas products. Consumers are reminded to reach out to the CCAC on its website: ccac.gov.gy or WhatsApp (592)-625-0557 if there are any complaints”, it said.
On January 5th this year, Basmatie Ganpat, 55, and Manoo Sookoo, 58, were hospitalized in critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital following an explosion involving a Massy cylinder at their Foulis, East Coast Demerara residence at about 5:45 am on Saturday.
On Christmas Day last year, Tuschen resident Annalisa Boodwah was left deeply traumatized after her 20-lb Massy Gas bottle caught fire around 11 am.
Detailing the events leading up to the fire, Boodwah said, “I light the stove, well I waited for the stove to heat up a little nah, when I not using the gas, I turn it back on when I ready to use it, so I turn it on, light the stove, wait for the stove to heat up then put in the cake. My phone rang at the same time so I went to answer the phone. By the time I answer the call and walk back and go to the kitchen, when I reach now I see the whole top of the bottle full of fire, so like I done start panic because like it’s a brand new gas and I thinking if I go down there now it will blow up and I will get myself damage so I run out back and stand up by the kitchen door and dash water from a distance but it didn’t outing it just keep raising raising all the time. That is when I decide to come out and holler for help. This neighbour over that side come out and he take a spade and push the bottle out and throw sand on it. The thing run reach up to me ceiling.”
On December 17th, 2024 a family in Little Abary, Region Five grappled with the aftermath of a 20-lb Massy gas bottle explosion that rocked their home leaving them without basic necessities, and seeking answers from the supplier.
On November 30th, 2024 Stabroek News reported that a life-threatening situation was narrowly avoided in a Better Hope home on November 29 thanks to the quick thinking and calm actions of Necolese Alexander, a career ICU nurse.
To further promote safety, Massy has since said it has launched a social media campaign aimed at raising awareness about the safe use of cooking gas. Awareness and adherence to safety practices are critical in preventing incidents and ensuring customer safety, it said. For further assistance, consumers can contact Massy Gas Products at 233-2728 or the hotline 600-0839.