Two people died in a gas cylinder explosion in the Shumilino district

September 8, Vitebsk / Sergey Kochetov - BELTA /. Two people died in the Shumilino district under the rubble of a residential building that collapsed as a result of a gas cylinder explosion. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the press secretary of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Marina Fando. The tragedy occurred in the village of Leskovichi. A fire broke out in the house of a 52-year-old local resident, and when rescuers arrived at the scene, a gas cylinder exploded. As a result, the residential building completely collapsed. During the dismantling of the rubble, the bodies of a man, the son of the homeowner, and a woman who lived nearby were discovered. One of the causes of the tragedy is considered to be a violation of the rules for operating gas equipment. On this day, the gas cylinder in the house was replaced, and it was connected to the stove not by a specialist, but by the homeowner's son. After drinking alcohol with neighbors, the homeowner decided to boil potatoes, having previously checked the cylinder for gas leaks using an open flame. This led to the ignition of gas vapors in the air, then the fire spread to the windows and walls. The regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations reminds of the need to strictly observe the rules for operating gas equipment, the installation of which should be carried out exclusively by specialists from the relevant services. It is strictly forbidden to check for possible gas leaks using an open flame. -0-