‘Fiery’ gas regulators under investigation

Cases of gas cylinders going up in flames when connected to heaters, caused by a faulty regulator, are under investigation by the Malta Standards Authority.

The problem “seems to be becoming seasonal”, according to the authority.

The hazard was brought to light by a recent letter carried in The Times, in which it was reported that when connected to a gas heater the top of the cylinder went up in flames with a bang.

Customer service staff at the authority attributed the incident to a faulty gas regulator.

The authority said it posed a “medium to high risk”, adding that it was working to remove the cause of the problem, for which it had a “strong culprit”.

Michael Cassar, head of the MSA’s Market Surveillance Directorate said “this problem seems to be becoming seasonal, as we have had complaints from consumers around this time last year as well. Then after some time, the problem dies down.”

The MSA was investigating the matter. “In one instance we also picked up the regulator involved and visited the regulator suppliers and the gas company to discuss the importance of finding a permanent solution quickly.”

In all complaints, the authority investigated the matter together with both sides to find a solution covering similar products on the market. However, all the gas regulators it inspected were found to comply with the MSA EN 12864, the European standard to which these products have to adhere. There are currently around five brands of regulators for sale.

“As long as the regulators are found to comply with the standard, we cannot remove them from the market,” a spokesman for the MSA said.

But standards alone do not seem to be enough. Industry sources told The Times that a particular brand of regulator was susceptible to these incidents as it did not properly fit the gas cylinders in circulation. As a result, gas escapes from between the washer and the regulator housing.

“These regulators are not bad in themselves, they’re just not compatible with our system,” the source said.

Gas supplier Liquigas confirmed there had been complaints about compatibility with a certain brand of regulator and that it had “referred this to the Malta Standards Authority for further investigation”.

“Liquigas recently also started importing its own brand of regulators that are identified by their green colour. These are currently available from the Liquigas office at Qajjenza but will soon be available from leading hard ware stores,” a spokesman for the company said.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Easygas, the other gas supplier, did not report a similar problem with their cylinders.

What do I do if my gas cylinder goes up in flames?

Patrick Murgo, Director of Civil Protection, gives some advice on what to do in the case of a small, isolated fire on a cylinder:

• First of all, stay calm. Call 112 and inform them that there is a fire but that it’s contained. Do not go near the fire.

• It is a good idea to have a powder fire extinguisher handy. If possible, learn how to use it, either through a training course or by asking the person who sold it to you.

• Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire in a sweeping motion to cut out the supply of gas. The fire should stop.

• Remove the regulator, either by closing the valve or by pulling the regulator out of the cylinder, depending on what cylinder you’re using.