Two weeks after 55-year-old Basmatie Ganpat was severely injured at her Foulis, East Coast Demerara home in a gas explosion, she has succumbed to her injuries.
Ganpat died early yesterday morning, her daughter Sandhya Goolram told Stabroek News. The woman said her mother showed signs of improvement last week and she was shocked to learn of her death.
Ganpat’s 58-year-old husband, Manoo Sookoo, was also severely injured in the explosion and remains hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s (GPH) Burn Care Unit.
Goolram explained that the family is yet to be updated on the actual cause of the fire. While there was an explosion, the family sought clarity from Massy Gas, and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) regarding the incident. A Massy Gas team visited the family initially and indicated that the cylinders were not damaged. The team did not elaborate on the probable cause of the incident, Goolram added.
Stabroek News had visited the Foulis residence where the incident occurred and found that the lower flat that housed the kitchen was devastated. The concrete walls were shattered, the pillars had shifted and some were broken. The roof that covered the living room area had been blown away. Kitchen equipment, utensils, and other household items were broken.
Following a query from this newspaper the company issued a statement in which it said it remained confident in the safety and quality of the products that leave their plant.
“To deliver safe products, we first ensure the safety of our employees, the safety of the surrounding community where the plant is located, the safety of our dealers, and finally, the safety of the homes and families where our Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas) products are used. We were recently audited for certification to ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System). We were already certified for ISO 9001: 2015 (Quality Management Systems),” the statement said.
Massy further stated that it had asked the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health Department to do an audit.
According to Goolram, Massy Gas officials informed her that the bottles were tested and proven to be okay. The officials further told the family that the couple had been using a faulty regulator. “They said that it was a GuyGas head and not a Massy regulator,” she revealed.
In response to this incident, Massy launched a Gas Awareness and Safety campaign that focuses on key issues surrounding safety. The awareness and safety messages include – Smart Storage: Keep your cylinder standing tall in a cool, open space, far from heat and curious little hands. Never store cylinders in enclosed spaces (cupboards). Leak Test: Soap it up! A quick soap-water test helps you observe any leaks when you have connected your regulator to the cylinder. If a leak is observed check the valve rubber for cracks. If intact, check to ensure the regulator is properly connected to the cylinder valve. Regular Inspection: Your Kosan regulator is the best partner for Massy Gas cylinders. Inspect both the hose and cylinder to ensure everything is in top shape. Regular Checking: Check the rubber seal of the valve for cracks or damage. Don’t use it if it is worn. Turn off stove knobs: Always remember to turn off your stove knob and regulator when the stove is not in use and when you are changing out a cylinder.
Chief Executive Officer of Tagman Media Alex Graham, who manages communications for Massy Gas, had told Stabroek News that the bottles did not explode and they were in good condition. “It has nothing to do with us or a gas cylinder exploding. The lady left a burner on, on her stove. She came down to make breakfast. She and her husband were smelling the gas but she still turned on the fire and ‘boom’ because they had a concentration of gas in a sealed room” Graham said.
Fire Chief Gregory Wickham had also told Stabroek News that the knob of the stove was left on and a high concentration of gas had filled the room. As the woman lit the stove, he concluded, an explosion occurred.
The Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce had launched an investigation following critical injuries to consumers and severe damage to property.
