4 VOX. 93/s/3 Ge @imerncaamazorn TIMES
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Fire At Madhavaram Shows Consumers Lack Awareness
A cheap LPG tube
could cost you dear
Christin Mathew Philip | 190 STAYING SAFE
y direct
oe ering) (Rega ee eee OU CNUs
ooeeting eeu Se ee
are putting BA
LPG consum: “The O-ring is a rubber ring inside the cylinder valve.
cersindanger. | g%ofeylindersinthe | ttisused as a gasket to seal a connection, Check to
Smartly dressed youngsters | marketare pastexpiry see that O-ring is present, and for signs of leakage —
from these firms knock on date, Here's how to. smell or using soe lution. Damage caused to
house doors, introducing | findthe best-by date rubberized O-rings in the cylinders are the main
ihomselvosas representatives | os tree tems | cause of gasleak- O-rings get damaged due to
of ofl companies. Toes “in: catopottie ms | wear and tear
spect” the rubber ttibe con: ;
nectingtheLPGeylinder with | Slinder __ Ruy Tsiditsei\ (0
the stove and say it is oldand jThe expiry date is
lealqeoHelp is at hand, they» | an alphanumeric i
add, and fish out a new tube | code—A,B,CorD = Reape
wenn DINING
Woman dies of | garet a
Check Strikea Bae ois
burns caused by Each alphabet Mibber tubo 4 | mitch tenis ie acidentsin2011
leak accident 'standsforaquarter | regularly for | turn onthe der in Chennai
gas leak accident | -Aforsanaryto cracks knob Eee
45-year-old woman, Who March (firstquarter), Coro eeg
suffered burn injuries due to |B for Aprilto June, C Peercnor twee
cooking gas leak at her house | forJulyto September, esti ets
hear MadhavaramonTuesday, | Dfor Octoberto edsven Ue
died at the Kilpauk Medical phate
College Hospital on Wednesday Decipher the code: ptatiliels
morning,Police said Saraswathi Hehe stem reads Ifthere is smell | Don't buy LPG cylinders Hea ahs,
hhad sustained more than 75% Biditmeansthe ofgas,close | fromthe grey market or 2
burn injuries in the accident cylinder canbeused | regulator, tse valves and regulators
which also injured her husband — | if) june 2014 burner knobs | without iS! mark
and son. On Monday morning,
Saraswathi it the stove Te
unaware that gas had been aul 6 rei sccziites
leaking. This triggered a blast, | May 2013 a amily of three sustained severe bum injures after a gas Oe.
The tube connecting the LPG teak riggers fir in thelr house in Madhavaram. One person dead a ee
ine aml egies ‘Ap 2013 | ror people ncting a6-year-old wonan sustained burs | manfacnm date er
damaged police sald; | _|_affergas leaked froma ofinderin a popeor-nakingunitin Elephant Gate_) batchnumber.
are undergoing treatment. rw | alll {Four killed, fourinjuredina blastn house in Washermenpet | S4dagopan |acrwst
for which they charge, products to LPG customers ‘ble ahd cheaper than ‘Surak-. delay supplying it,” said Shiju
The substandard tube was thriving. “We have in- sha’ tubes, “They are packed George, an Indane customer:
soon gives way, putting the formed police, but no action ineolourfuleoversbutthereis _Distributors say few cylin:
‘aceupants of the house in hasbeen taken, Wenow insist no ISI’ mark and there is no! _.ders have foolproof seals. “Oil
danger. Also, people buying on ‘Suraksha’ tube for safe “mention of MRP maniifactur. companies should certify a
LPG cylinders from the grey use and will refuse cylinders ingdateand place, and batch cylinder is it for use by affix.
market are forced to buy _________ timber Many customers are ing a fool-proof seal,” sald
valves and regulators without unaware of thisand buy itas Jagadeeshan.
the ISI’ stamp. Tuesday's fire itischeap," saidconsumerac- Officials say the rubber
accident sparked by agas leak tivist’T Sadagopan. ‘tubeshould be changed every
at Madhavaram has high- tocustomerswhodon’tfollow ‘There are also complaints threeyears, butadd that some
lighted thelack of awareness safety measures,” he said,....«of delivery boys tampering consumers use it without re:
among consumers. While LPG dealers sell 2 with gas cylinders for not be- placement for 5-10 years, re-
Allindia Indane Distribu. 1.2m Suraksha tube for #160, ing tipped well. “They usedto sulting in wear and tear
tors Association vice-presi- direct marketing companies charge €10-e20 per cylinder. “Theyshould check the cylin-
dent Captain RS Jagadee- provide itfor €70-¢80. Now they demand 230-40. If der forleaks when delivered,”
shan admitted that a racket ‘Many customers say these we refuse, they will either said an Indane official.
in providing substandard ‘local’ tubes are more accessi- tamper with the cylinder or mp.crieintimessrouncom