The Chairman of the Parliamentary Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, Dr. Ayman Abu Hanieh, said that the Kingdom has lost 14 Jordanian lives in recent days due to suffocation caused by gas leaks from one of the heating devices.
اضافة اعلان
During a meeting held by the committee on Sunday to discuss incidents involving unsafe heaters and the recent accidents that resulted in the deaths of citizens, Abu Hanieh added that the committee will not be lenient, within its oversight role, in demanding accountability for those found negligent.
He stressed that the safety of Jordanians and the protection of their lives are not subject to debate, praising the efforts and role of the Civil Defense Directorate and all security agencies in safeguarding the lives of citizens and residents across the Kingdom.
In the presence of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Yarub Al-Qudah, the Director General of the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization, Abeer Al-Zuheir, the Director of Civil Defense, Brigadier General Nasser Al-Sweilemeen, and the CEO of the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company, Hassan Al-Hiyari, Abu Hanieh noted that this file will remain open pending the results of the final report on the incident.
For their part, the attending MPs emphasized the importance of holding those at fault accountable, the necessity of reducing the prices of kerosene and diesel so Jordanians can use safe heating methods, intensifying awareness campaigns, and warning citizens against the improper use of heating devices.
Al-Qudah, in turn, said that samples of the heating devices linked to the fatalities had been sent to the Royal Scientific Society, pending the final results of the report to determine the causes of death. He noted that traders had been instructed to stop selling these devices until the final results are issued, under penalty of legal responsibility, in addition to halting the sale of 5,000 units. He also explained that large random samples from factories and the market had been inspected.
Al-Qudah stressed that there will be no tolerance for negligence, urging citizens to refrain from using these heaters until a final decision is issued, and noting that the case will be referred to the Public Prosecution to take the necessary legal measures.
Al-Zuheir stated that the organization’s teams carried out 95 inspection tours of markets and 38 tours of factories, during which 34 samples were taken during last winter season and sent to the Royal Scientific Society. She added that 73 samples found to be non-compliant with standards and specifications were destroyed, and 21 samples of heating devices suspected of non-compliance were withdrawn from the market.
For his part, Al-Sweilemeen said that the directorate intensified its awareness efforts and assumed responsibility for educating the public on the safe use of various heating devices, warning against incorrect methods of use. He noted that the number of fatalities had reached 11 cases, many injured individuals had been rescued, and that the common factor was the use of the same heating device. He added that five samples of heating devices were seized to determine the causes of these deaths.
Al-Hiyari stated that the refinery has been selling gas cylinders for five decades to meet the needs of the local market, noting that each cylinder undergoes seven inspections, in addition to 11 inspections of the valve installed on the cylinder. He added that the refinery sold approximately 35 million gas cylinders last year, affirming its full commitment to approved safety and quality standards.
