Sophia woman in gas explosion dies; teenage son discharged from hospital

A woman has died and her teenage son was released from the hospital following a gas cylinder explosion at a home in C Field Sophia, Georgetown, last Thursday morning.

Harriet Ray, 36, lost her life in the incident, while her 13-year-old son, Jaden Jarod, who was also injured, has since been discharged from hospital.

The incident, which has raised safety concerns over domestic cooking gas use, occurred after what Massy Gas Products Guyana Ltd. has since confirmed was the installation of a faulty and “non-recommended” regulator on the cylinder.

In a statement, the company said its technical team carried out an inspection at the Lot 121 residence hours after the blast. Their findings showed the LPG cylinder itself was intact and recently purchased, but the regulator attached was defective and allowed gas to escape even in the “off” position, triggering the deadly explosion.

Massy Gas stressed that its recommended Kosan regulators, hoses and clips meet required safety standards and should always be used to avoid similar tragedies. The company has since replaced the faulty parts at the Sophia home.

The gas distributor also reminded customers to immediately report leaks, odours, or faulty equipment to its emergency hotline and to alert the Guyana Fire Service in the event of an incident.

The tragedy has prompted renewed calls for households to pay closer attention to the type of fittings used on gas cylinders, as investigators continue to look into the circumstances of Thursday’s explosion.