A massive fire that broke out at the Birgunj-based Super Gas, a cooking gas bottling plant, has raised serious questions on safety measures embraced by factories that store and handle highly flammable products like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The fire claimed the lives of three fire fighters, severely injured one more, destroyed a fire engine and posed a severe threat to people living in the vicinity of the bottling plant.

Nepal had never witnessed an accident of this scale at a gas bottling plant. Yet government agencies that regulate the petroleum sector have not made sincere efforts to find out lapses that triggered the fire. Instead, a committee has been formed in a ritualistic manner that is yet to submit its report. What happened that fateful day remains a mystery, even five days since the accident—although many assume the fire broke out while decanting LPG into the plant’s storage tank from a truck that transports the gas. The inability of concerned authorities to dig out the truth on a grave issue of public safety is deplorable.

It is well known that cooking gas bottling facilities pose fire and explosion risks as they store volatile hydrocarbons. But the bitter truth is that Nepal cannot end its reliance on LPG—which has rapidly raised people’s access to cooking fuel—until it starts generating an adequate quantum of electricity at affordable rates. Considering these facts, Nepal will have to create a favourable environment for the operation of LPG bottling plants in the coming days without undermining public safety. This is possible.

The deadly fire at the Birgunj-based gas bottling plant has clearly shown that it is people who suffer the most during incidents like these. People of Maniyari, for example, lived in fear for days after the fire was doused. They lived in the fields, survived on dry food like instant noodles and sent their kids to live with their relatives far away from the village.

The LP Gas Bylaw says that LPG bottling plants should be set up at least five kilometres away from human settlements. But Maniyari is located at a distance of about 700 metres from Super Gas. Many other gas bottling plants in the country are also located very near human settlements. The government, however, has not been able to relocate those gas bottling plants. This is because the bylaw says distance between human settlements and bottling plants should be five kilometres “if possible”, which means the legal provision is not binding. This provision must be changed, and then enforced strictly.

Also, the government must inspect gas bottling plants at regular intervals and ensure that they have met all safety standards. Currently, 55 gas bottling plants are operating in Nepal. But government officials themselves acknowledge 90 percent of them have not maintained the standard stipulated by the government. This confession is preposterous. Instead of making such statements, they should start working to guarantee public safety. There should be no excuse for undermining public safety.