The committee in charge of safety and security affiliated with Interior Ministry decided to halt gas cylinder imports for six months in an effort to assess the current situation of cylinders available in the market.

Headed by Deputy Interior Minister Saleh Al-Zaw'ari, the committee warned owners of gas stores and stations to work for providing the required safety equipments within one month.

This comes after a field visit by committee members, as the resolution seeks to rid the market of old and unsafe gas cylinders, and those in need for prompt maintenance.

The committee also asked Yemen Gas Company (YGC) to work for withdrawing dilapidated and old cylinders from the market and compensate their owners to ensure the safety of citizens’.

It is estimated that over four million old and dilapidated gas cylinders exist in the market, out of a total of over 15 million cylinders in the market. Observers say that these cylinders are subjected to quick dilapidation because of their improper handling. 

Because of unwise use of gas cylinders, dozens of people nationwide were killed or injured over the last few years. Last July, six people were wounded; two of them seriously, when a gas factory exploded in Sana'a. 

It was said then that the explosion happened when contact between gas tanks started a fire while employees were discharging the remaining gas cylinders.

Field teams recorded numerous violations in gas stations and stores including lack of extinguishers or apparatuses for detecting leakage together with the unavailability of safety instructions and the ignorance of workers in these places.