They are a time bomb. Anything could have happened after the tanks suddenly caved in. We wish to avoid these things and want that the new designs avoid these things and situate the stations far away from neighborhoods.
Saud bin Abdullah al Hanzab, chairman of the Central Municipal Council (CMC), speaking to the Qatar Tribune about the weekend blast at Al Andalus Petrol Station on C Ring Road.
On Saturday, an underground fuel tank exploded at the gas station, causing the ground around it to collapse. There were no serious injuries.
The government has yet to comment on the cause of the accident, only saying it was related to maintenance work, and has not explained what is being done to prevent other such incidents in the future.
According to Hanzab, the station was less than a decade old, and the incident raises questions about the safety of other petrol stops around Qatar:
“The older stations could be more dangerous. Periodic maintenance of gas stations and their storage tanks is a must to avoid such incidents.”
Meanwhile, the gas station, which was popular due to its strategic location, and its surrounding shops, including Subway and Baskin Robbins, remain closed.
Thoughts?
Credit: Photo by Gazanfarulla Khan
