The Rahova explosion. How Distrigaz explains that it discovered, after the explosion, that the seal on the block's gas valve had been broken

The branch valve that Distrigaz sealed after shutting off the gas supply was not affected by the explosion, company representatives say in a new press release. After the intervention of an agent who arrived in the field on Friday morning, it was discovered that the seal had been broken, the company says.

“The Distrigaz Sud Rețele intervention agent, who arrived on the field in the morning of October 17, as a result of the call from the Emergency Call Center, found that the seal applied as a result of the intervention on October 16 had been broken, due to an unauthorized intervention. We specify that the branch valve on which the seal was applied after closing was not affected by the explosion, being otherwise protected by a fire”, the release states the company.

Initially ANRE reported on Friday morning that the Distrigaz teams arrived at the block in Rahova before the explosion, but shortly after the head of DSU Raed Arafat contradicted the institution and said that the Distrigaz teams arrived after the explosion. Later, Distrigaz reported that the intervention team did not arrive before the explosion, but right at the moment of deflagration.

The obligation to repair the installation rests with consumers

Distrigaz now states that, in accordance with the legislation in force, it has the obligation to make the building safe by cutting off the natural gas supply until it is fixed, by a company authorized by ANRE.

The customer also has the following obligations:

• maintain and operate the natural gas installation in safe conditions,
• to ensure the performance of periodic technical checks and revisions of the installation for the use of natural gas,
• to ensure the remediation of malfunctions in the operation of the user installation only through economic operators authorized by ANRE,
• to exclusively use devices consuming gaseous fuels that comply with the requirements of the legislation in force and to carry out their verification and repair, through economic operators authorized by competent bodies.

In order for Distrigaz Sud Rețele to resume natural gas supply to affected customers, the following conditions must be met:

• the contracting, by the customers, of an economic operator authorized by ANRE to remedy the defects and carry out the technical review of the internal installation for use;
• the transmission to Distrigaz Sud Rețele of the supporting documents drawn up by the respective economic operator.

Distrigaz Sud Networks collaborates with the investigative bodies by making available all the information requested by them, the release also states.

HotNews asked the distribution operator, Distrigaz Sud, who is the company that was supposed to carry out these works in the case of the block in Rahova and whether the legal provisions were respected. Distrigaz has not responded by the time of publishing this article.

ANRE methodology: The company carrying out the work must remain on site until the gases are completely eliminated

Previously, HotNews wrote that the association of owners in the block in Rahova where the explosion took place had to have, according to the law, a contract with a company approved by the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) for the revision of gas installations.

Gas leaks are treated as an emergency in the gas supply, so there is an ANRE methodology that tells exactly who and what to do in such situations.

This procedure was approved by ANRE order no. 179/2015 and stipulates that any gas consumer, the Owners' Association in this case, is obliged to conclude a contract with a company authorized by ANRE for the execution and verification of natural gas use installations.

According to the same order, if gas leaks are detected, the owners' association notifies the authorized economic operator.

After carrying out the verification, the company has the following obligations:

• to immediately notify the distribution operator (Distrigaz Sud in this case – no) through the Tel Verde service about the gas leaks.
• to take urgent measures including:
  • smoking ban
  • interruption of the gas supply: through the fire valve, the meter valve, the isolating valve or the shut-off valve, as appropriate
  • ventilation of the affected rooms
  • maintaining the presence in the area until the gases are completely eliminated
  • extending control to the area of ​​influence to check for additional infiltrations

In addition, after the fault has been rectified, the company in question must carry out the technical check or overhaul of the user installation again and fill in the corresponding Record Sheet. If necessary, resistance and tightness tests are applied according to the applicable technical norms, before the gas supply is restored.

According to the ANRE methodology, gas leaks are treated as emergency situations and the responsibility rests with the authorized economic operator who carries out the checks, under the coordination of the distribution operator.