Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH/DAMMAM — Lighting a match close to straw is dangerous. Yet there are cooking gas distribution centers and petrol stations doting residential districts all over the Kingdom. Such violations have been met with total silence as if the authorities will not act unless a disaster takes place. Residents say they raised the alarm bells several times against the dangers of cooking gas cylinder delivery units and petrol stations in their vicinity. They say these pose serious danger to them and their children. Omar Al-Ghamdi, a resident of Al-Rehab district in north Jeddah, said fuel and cooking gas stations have become widespread within the residential districts. He said there is a cooking gas station close to his residence. This puts him and his family in constant danger. “The cooking gas station is exposed to the hot sun and the workers drop gas cylinders from a considerable height to the ground while off-loading. Anytime an explosion might take place.” Abdul Bari Othman, a resident of Al-Jamea district, says, “When you smell benzene in your home, this creates horror in your heart and causes you to be in a state of confusion because the fuel is highly inflammable and could lead to disaster.” He asks, “Why don't they relocate these cooking gas stations far away from residential neighborhoods?” Othman added, “We hear many stories about explosions of cooking gas cylinders especially inside homes where they are away from the sun's heat. So how will the situation be like when they are kept under the hot sun? Also, they are dropped from a height. The matter is very serious and cannot be neglected. We don't want to watch this potentially dangerous situation silently. The small delivery trucks are no less dangerous than the big ones because many of the workers carry gas cylinders while smoking.” Residents also say petrol stations located within busy neighborhoods are ticking time bombs. While some of these stations within city limits are separated by only a few meters, many of the country's major roads and highways lack petrol stations and travelers are often seen stranded along these roads after running out of fuel. Nasser Al-Bugumi, a resident of Al-Safa district, says, “There are a number of fuel stations located within residential districts. The situation is dangerous and calls for concern. It is true that having a gas station near your residence helps you fill your car's tank any time, but the officials have got to seriously look for a suitable and safe solution. Definitely the residents of these districts will accept it so long as it is in the interest of all.” Experts have persistently warned against the dangers of petrol stations within neighborhoods. Their danger is not limited to fires and explosions but also to the fumes they emit that contain poisonous lead. A fire and safety trainer said the existence of petrol stations within neighborhoods has forced the Civil Defense to enforce certain safety precautions. These precautions are compatible with international safety standards designed to stop fires from happening. There should be a minimum distance of 500 meters between petrol stations in a street that has no middle island. This distance is reduced to only 100 meters in streets that have a middle island. In addition, the nearest residential building should not be less than 25 meters away. Asked him about the possibility of relocating cooking gas and fuel stations out of residential areas, Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Harthi, director of Civil Defense in Jeddah, said they cannot move the cooking gas stations away from the residential districts because of the demand for the product. He reassured the public that the Civil Defense carries out routine inspection tours of these stations to check if they are abiding by the security and safety conditions. He added that there are no plans to relocate them outside urban areas due to the residents' need for them. Spokesman for the Eastern Province Municipality Mohammad Al-Sefayan said applications for petrol stations are reviewed with other concerned bodies. The municipality utilizes consultancy offices for the design and supervision of petrol stations. The municipality, he added, has warned 528 owners of petrol stations to develop and improve their services within three months. If they do not comply with the regulations, their licenses will be revoked and the petrol stations closed down.
