7 died from Carbon Monoxide poisoning in Tbilisi
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, February 1
Seven people died allegedly from the Carbon Monoxide poisoning in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi.
The deceased were found in a flat on 67 Ketevan Tsamebuli Street on January 31.
Police have launched an investigation under Article 240(1), Provision III of the Criminal Code of Georgia, involving a breach of safety regulations at electric or thermal energy facilities, or at gas, oil or oil products facilities, resulting in the death of two or more persons.
The neighbors say the deceased were renting the flat and that they were working at the construction site.
They say among the dead are a father and a son and two brothers.
Healthcare Minister Davit Sergeenko says that it is alleged the people died from CO.
“An investigation is in progress. No one has been injured in the accident. Unfortunately, 7 people died,” Sergeenko said.
Gas provider company KazTransGas released a statement regarding the case, saying the death was caused by the improperly installed open camera water heater.
The company says that before the incident their specialists had visited the flat and for the violation of exploitation rules, disconnected the water heater from the gas pipe.
“It is likely that the flat owner reconnected the water heater with the gas pipe himself,” the statement of the company reads.
Member of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) majority, Beka Natsvlishvili stressed the gas regulations are not tough enough as the number of similar incidents is up lately.
“Moreover, it is not only about regulations. People do not have enough money to have the proper heating infrastructure at home,” he said.
Several days ago, it was announced that installation of gas detectors in the block of flats will become mandatory.
The information was released by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natia Turnava.
She added that the requirements towards gas companies in the direction of construction and installation works will also be tightened, as well as the gasification in the individual residential areas and the equipment installation procedures.
The issue of tightening gas regulations came up after two men died of CO intoxication on January 21. As the neighbors say, the cause might have been the improperly installed gas heater.
Moreover, a deadly gas explosion in Didi Dighomi District on January 16 killed 4 people, while 8 others received severe injuries.
