Dubai: In a first in Dubai, safer and lighter gas cylinders are set to be introduced in Al Khail Gate residential community that had banned the use of LPG cooking gas cylinders following a deadly blast last year, Gulf News can reveal.
Dubai Properties (DP), the developer of the gated community in Al Quoz, has notified the tenants about providing composite cylinders, a new type of highly safe gas cylinders, in their apartments.
This project has been approved by the Dubai Civil Defence and will be implemented in association with Emirates Gas LLC, the company said in notices issued to the tenants this week.
The developer had announced a ban on the use of LPG cylinders in Al Khail Gate following a blast, caused by gas leakage in an apartment, resulting in the death of an elderly woman. Her daughter was critically burnt and their apartment was destroyed after the flash fire and the explosion in August last year.
An industry expert said it is the first residential community to introduce these safer gas cylinders in line with the new UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice that has banned traditional cooking gas cylinders in all new buildings. As per the Code, new buildings should use centralised gas pipe network or electric cookers to reduce fire accidents caused by gas leakage and cylinder explosions
In December, Civil Defence officials had told Gulf News that they were looking into alternative solutions for old buildings and had received a proposal from DP to use composite gas cylinders that are comparatively much safer than the traditional metal LPG cylinders in Al Khail Gate.
Additional safety features
This new generation of lightweight cylinders is generally made of helically woven fibres, combined with resin, providing unique characteristics. They are said to be explosion-proof as they can withstand a burst pressure that is twice as high as that of metal cylinders.
DP said the composite cylinders minimise the risk of cylinder explosion due to fire engulfment.
Additional safety features include a gas leak detection system with a shut-off valve that stops the flow of gas immediately in case of any gas leak and a regulator with safety protection which stops the flow of gas in case of hose disconnection.
These cylinders are made of non-corrosive material, lighter in weight and their gas level is visible. The hoses are steel-braided which eliminates the risk of hose failure due to rodent bites.
“Please note that the required modifications in your apartment for this solution will be completed by us at our cost. This shall include the modification of the kitchen cupboard and installation of necessary safety devices,” the developer told residents.
Basheer K.A, president of AKGMA Social Club, a neighbourhood group in the residential community licensed by the Community Development Authority, said the residents have largely welcomed the move.
“It is a big relief for the tenants. Many people had switched to electric cookers after the ban on LPG cylinders was announced. But most of the residents continue to use the traditional LPG cylinders as the management had been lenient in implementing the ban. Now, everybody can go for these new composite cylinders with better safety features.”
Murtaza Hussain, a tenant in phase 2 of the community, appreciated the management for bearing the cost of the modifications for the installation of the new cylinders. “We just hope that they will also make sure it is cost effective and not an additional financial burden on tenants,” he said.
A comment from DP regarding the price range of the cylinders and the timeline of the project was not immediately available.
