Criminal proceedings have been instituted against the owner of the burnt-out gas station located in Dushanbe.

An official source at the Interior Ministry says criminal proceedings have been instituted against the 33-year-old Ehsonjon Roziqov under the provisions of Article 192 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – violation of fire safety regulations.

“This article stipulates that violation of fire safety regulations is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine in the amount ranging from 48,000 somonis to 60,000 somonis,” the source added.  

Earlier, the Interior Ministry said that the fire and the blast had occurred due to non-compliance with fire safety requirements in an area of 90 square meters at a gas station with a stock of more than 60 tons of fuel.

Recall, 29 persons including three women were injured in the fire that broke out at a gas station in Dushanbe’s Ispechak-2 neighborhood Saturday (May 1) evening.

According to the Interior Ministry’s press center, the fire broke out at the gas station at around 6:30 pm and 31 firefighting crews were involved in extinguishing the fire.  The fire was reportedly extinguished only by 10:12 pm.

The Emergencies Committee under the Government of Tajikistan says 29 persons including three women aged 25 to 47, sustained different injuries in the fire.  The injured persons were rushed to Burn Care Center # 3 and the National Health Center “Shifobakhsh” (Qariyai Bolo).  

22 of those admitted to the hospitals were reportedly released home after first aid, while the remaining seven injured persons remained under the supervision of doctors, and two of them, including one woman, are in serious condition.  

The fire and the blast reportedly partially damaged the nearby residential building and a private kindergarten.

The owner of the gas station is the 33-year-old resident of Dushanbe Ehsonjon Roziqov.