Ajman authorities have launched a vital safety drive after a spate of gas explosions this year.
Ajman Civil Defence ordered gas cylinders to be fitted with new regulators which automatically shut off supply in the event of a leak, helping to reduce the prospect of a fire breaking out.
The emirate-wide project is to be rolled out by the start of next year, said Brig Gen Mohammed Ali Jumeirah, Deputy Director of Ajman Civil Defence.
“The new regulators are equipped with automatic mechanisms to shut off the gas flow if a leak or sudden crack in the hose have been detected,” he said.
A fusible chip in the new regulators will automatically melt in the event of a fire to ensure that the valve is completely sealed.
"Obligating gas companies to replace regulators is the first phase of a scheme to change the culture of gas cylinders use in order to minimise risk of gas leakage, to ensure safety of connections and assure that consumed parts in gas cylinders and regulators are constantly replaced," said Gen Jumeirah.
In January, five people were hurt when a gas explosion tore through a cafe in Ajman, leaving its owner with a Dh200,000 repair bill.
The four members of staff and a gas company worker were taken to hospital after the blast at Feza Cafe in the Al Rashidiya district.
Three months later, a woman was badly injured in a gas explosion in the kitchen of a home in the emirate.
Col Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director of Ajman Civil Defence, said a gas cylinder in the outside kitchen – separate from the main villa in Al Raqab – had been leaking and the flick of a switch by the maid set off the explosion.
The woman suffered severe injuries and bruising and was taken to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Hospital.
In June, a gas explosion at a cafe damaged the building and two cars parked outside.
