Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 22/Nov 07:41

Ramadhar leads legal probe of gas tank explosion fatality

Attorneys probing Ria George's death vow that her loss will not be swept under the rug as they intend to take legal action based on their findings in the matter. Speaking at his Lord Street, San Fernando office on November 21, Prakash Ramadhar said a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request has been filed with the National Petroleum Marketing Company Ltd (NP), with another to be sent to the Chief Fire Officer. "Too often our citizens are blamed for accidents when those who have authority and responsibility wash their hands of it. Say that it may very well be that the regulator was not properly installed and if you smelt gas you should not have done, you should have known better. We are not about victim-blaming. It's about you knowing these things, you in the business of selling gas and if you didn't take full and proper and adequate steps to educate the population, then you must be held accountable." The FOIA request sent to NP on October 23 by attorney Ted Roopnarine asked for copies of all investigation reports or other documents relating to the explosion that killed George. If the matter is still being probed, it asked the company to state when it began, when it is expected to be completed and when the completed report would be sent to the attorneys. The attorneys also intend to request information from the other LPG tank producer, Ramco Industries Ltd. Although the private company is not obligated to respond to an FOIA which applies to public bodies, Roopnarine anticipated it would be cooperative. Ramadhar suggested labels similar to those found on cigarette packs be affixed to the gas cylinders and questioned why it had not been implemented sooner. "Have any of the gas companies taken a simple step to put on the gas tanks, a labelling indicating the real danger if you should smell gas, or to immediately stop using and to do whatever is necessary. Is it too expensive? Is it beyond the realm of reason for them to do these things?" He credited the idea to Breaking Dawn talk show host Stephan Reis, calling it "brilliant." He argued that a defective gas tank could kill a person much faster than smoking would. As a former minister of legal affairs, Ramadhar said the warning labels should be legislatively mandated through the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism. Admitting this would take some time, he appealed to the manufacturers to take the step themselves. Additionally, he called on the government to implement and enforce standards for the importation and sale of regulators. Holding a flip-top regulator, which he said was from his own home, Ramadhar noted there weren't markings indicating it adhered to any standards or passed certifications. It's a common issue detected by Newsday while viewing regulators at several retailers two weeks ago. The Occupational Health and Safety Agency (OSHA) executive director, Carolyn Sancho, previously told Newsday there were no standards for the manufacture of LPG gas cylinders or importation of regulators and hoses. George, a 47-year-old MS Foodcity employee, died at the San Fernando General Hospital on September 27 from injuries sustained when her gas tank exploded at her Diggity Village, Debe, home on August 13. There have been numerous instances of gas tanks catching fire or exploding in households in 2025. The incidents have led to the deaths of Bevaughn Joseph, 28, Raquel Babwah, 44, and Naomi Aliyah Mya De Mille, 19. On November 3, High Court justice Kevin Ramcharan issued a grant ad litem to George's husband, Rakesh, to bring an action in negligence or any other proceedings which may arise out of the incident which claimed her life. Amidst continuing reports of fires and explosions from 20-pound LPG tanks, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries engaged stakeholders such as the TT Bureau of Standards, TT Fire Service and OSHA to develop solutions. Ramco and NP have since started education campaigns on their respective social media platforms to inform the public of how to test tanks for leaks using soapy water, when to change regulators and hoses and to only purchase EN12864/ EN16129 compliant regulators and EN559 hoses. The post Ramadhar leads legal probe of gas tank explosion fatality appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.