A special committee has been formed in Sri Lanka’s parliament to investigate dozens of unexplained cooking gas explosions and fires in kitchens around the country.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed an eight-member committee to investigate and deliver a report within two weeks after police and media reports of at least 14 explosions in a single day.
According to Consumer Affairs Minister Lasantha Alagiyawant to, 10 explosions are reported every day on average.
“We accept that more than 40 percent of Sri Lanka’s 5.1 million households are living in fear because of this issue. Businesses are also affected. The government is on the side of consumers and once investigations are complete a full report will be presented to the House,” he told parliament on Tuesday.
On November 20, a fire caused by a gas leak destroyed a McDonald’s restaurant in Colombo’s capital. Several incidences of gas cookers exploding or catching fire have caused a stir since then.
Some customers have taken their cylinders outside and begun cooking in their gardens. Social media has been filled with videos of do-it-yourself leak tests.
When their cooker exploded in their tiny diner in Colombo, Milinda Premachandra’s wife received severe burns.
“My wife will never be the same again. My whole life has fallen apart,” he said.
“The authorities must do something soon. Someone must answer for what is happening to innocent people.”
The explosions were not caused by a changes in the propane and butane mix of cylinders introduced earlier this year, according to state-run Litro gas, which supplies more than 80% of Sri Lanka’s liquefied petroleum gas cylinders for domestic and commercial usage.
Instead, it blames faulty regulators and old burners, and no cylinders have really been recalled.
