Uzbekistan’s law enforcement and emergency agencies discovered 249 household liquefied petroleum gas cylinders that were being stored illegally or used for purposes other than intended during coordinated inspections conducted in a single day, officials reported. The cylinders contained about 1,160 kilograms of liquefied gas, an amount that would cover roughly one month of consumption for 58 families. The checks were carried out by the State Security Service, the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Emergency Situations Ministry, Uzenergoinspektsiya and Hududgaztaminot as part of efforts to reduce fire and explosion risks and to prevent illegal resale of subsidized household fuel.
Key Takeaways: Authorities identified 249 cylinders and 1,160 kilograms of liquefied gas in one day. Officials say the amount would have supplied 58 families for a month. Inspections also targeted employees of gas supply organizations, with several cases referred for further review.
The inspections come amid heightened attention to winter energy supply and household safety in Uzbekistan. Household gas cylinders are widely used in some areas, but storing large quantities in homes, garages or unadapted commercial premises increases the risk of fire and explosion. Illegal resale can also disrupt deliveries to registered consumers and create shortages in communities that depend on cylinder supplies. Earlier, the Interior Ministry called for stronger control over the delivery of gas and coal to households ahead of the winter season, making the latest operation part of a broader effort to tighten oversight of fuel distribution.
According to the reports, the most serious cases involved workers from the gas supply system itself. In Karakalpakstan, a locksmith at the Amudarya district gas supply department kept 104 cylinders without required documents and in violation of fire safety rules. In Surkhandarya region, a driver from the Sherabad district gas service stored 25 cylinders at his home, while an employee at a gas filling station in the Kuyichirchiq district of Tashkent region was found with three cylinders. Other cases were recorded among residents: a man in Namangan set up a home warehouse with 20 cylinders allegedly intended for sale, and 92 cylinders were found in the homes of two residents in the Kasbi district of Kashkadarya region. In Khorezm’s Khonqa district, a resident used five cylinders belonging to a gas supply organization at a public catering outlet.
Officials stressed that such violations not only deprive residents of timely fuel supplies but also endanger surrounding communities. Keeping large numbers of gas cylinders in unsuitable rooms raises the likelihood of leaks, fires and explosions, particularly in densely populated residential areas. The authorities also noted that the checks are intended to identify both illegal storage and misuse of cylinders that are meant for household consumers.
Citizens who learn about illegal resale of household gas or dangerous storage of cylinders have been urged to contact the State Security Service call center on short number 1520. Officials promised confidentiality for reports. Further joint inspections are expected as agencies continue monitoring gas supply organizations, retail outlets and residential areas before and during the winter season.
Source: podrobno.uz