Gas explosions and high energy prices

That building is obliterated those poor people who will have been sitting at home watching this morning or sleeping in after a night shift. Those poor, poor people

Yes, another incredibly dangerous way to try to save money. I think we are going to see more tragedies like this.

Fire chiefs are investigating whether the resident used camping gas or some other makeshift solution to save money:

"One person was killed and others are feared to be lying dead in the wreckage of a block of flats after a huge explosion yesterday.

Fire chiefs are investigating if the blast was caused by a resident using a makeshift heating or cooking device or gas bottles as a result of the rising cost of fuel.

One man was thrown from the three-storey building by the powerful explosion and others were said to have leapt from a window as fire ripped through the flats."

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10981165/One-dead-gas-explosion-sparks-inferno-block-flats-three-people-taken-hospital.html

I worked in the gas industry and I used to see the magazine, that went, with what was then, the CORGI scheme.

The contents of this magazine was almost entirely made up of photos and reports of the incredibly dangerous adaptations people had made to their gas supply systems or equipment. Few were done with evil intent. Someone wanted to build a sun lounge that would cover the balanced flu so they partly covered it up and put a flu in that ran sideways along the wall to vent through the sun-lounge wall= - and filled the sun-lounge with carbon monoxide - . No one died but...........

Welbeck I have very carefully not said that fiddling with the gas supply was the cause of either of these incidents. But this is a cause of domestic gas explosions and in these inflationary times, , where people are struggling to pay bills, for some, trying to bypass the meter, or fit their own gas appliances, may seem away of dealing with the issue.

Fiddling with the electricity supply is by far the most common problem. When I googled it, I was amazed how much of this goes on, but a lot of it is criminal.

Yes so called qualified gasman ... think now called Gas Safe or may be wrong, sorry if I am

I have thought myself if it was gas leak ... not because anyone unqualified ... as can happen anytime ... if I smell gas I have always reported it no matter how much gas I could smell ... sometimes a big hole being dug , then last year my daughter was painting my gas box outside ... smelt gas so could I may I add not strong at all ... phoned emergency gas ... were in the area so didn't take long to be honest just only slightly but a gas leak ... when I had my gas fire sorted so called qualified gasman had forgotten to do something to the meter ... about a year before ... so couldn't report him ... when gas fire sorted originally by person who didnt check the meter properly ... I went out came back, strong smell of gas ... called emergency gas ... had it cut off, called same company I said didn't want same gasman ... but had to as his area ... then he denied it was him who caused the leak ... no one had touched the gas from when he came in about 6 hours or so later till emergency gas ... people must realise ... smell gas ... no matter how slight ... NO CHARGE ... to call out ... possibly why people won't call them out ...

people died in those explosions.
i don't think we should be speculating on the causes at this stage, nor imputing wrong-doing.

It's quite terrifying to think there may be someone in your property or next door messing with the gas supply or not maintaining their boiler. It could happen anywhere. As far as I know the other five flats in this house are all looked after but you never know for sure.

Thé one in Birmingham appears to have been caused by a pipe leaking inside the house, put down as an accident.
I’m wondering, not about rerouting to bypass the meter, but people trying themselves, or using non trained staff, to install ovens, fires etc.

I think they were converted offices made into flats

Plus of course houses being used for cannabis farming, but they are bypassing the electricity meter, not the gas meter, and it is bypassing the gas meter that is so dangerous.

Some, not necessarily this one, are caused by people using gas canisters to cook drugs.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was caused that way people are getting desperate

I was thinking the same thing the other day when the gas explosion in Birmingham occurred. People will become desperate, especially after the next round of price hikes in October. Terrifying thought.