Death toll rises in Boysun gas leak incident

On the afternoon of September 17, at approximately 4:00 p.m., a high-pressure hydrogen sulfide gas leak occurred at well No. 604 of the "25th Anniversary of Independence" (M-25) mine, situated in the Kofrun neighborhood of Boysun district, Surkhandarya region. This was disclosed on September 18, during a briefing at the mine attended by Minister of Energy Jorabek Mirzamahmudov and Minister of Emergency Situations, Major General Abdulla Koldashev.

As of today, four people have tragically lost their lives due to the gas leak. Eleven others were injured, with 10 of them discharged from the hospital the same night.

Authorities are continuing to address the situation, with specialists from relevant organizations actively working at the site.

When asked why this incident occurred again, Minister of Energy Jorabek Mirzamahmudov explained that the incident is directly related to the mine's geographical location and specific characteristics. The "25th Anniversary of Independence" mine is situated in the hilly terrain of Surkhandarya region, 20 kilometers southeast of Boysun, at an elevation of 1,000 meters above sea level.

This is not the first such incident at the mine. On September 1, hydrogen sulfide gas was released due to a violation of the drilling process at well No. 604. Residents living nearby were evacuated to safety, and Deputy Prime Minister and other officials promptly visited the site.

By September 14, a leakage prevention device (PVO) was installed, and the following day, the system was secured, with gas flow from the tower and extraction equipment successfully stopped.

Today, during a press conference at the Information and Mass Communications Agency, Deputy Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, Jusipbek Kazbekov, confirmed that no further high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide are being released. He emphasized that the situation is under control and is technical. Uktam Utaev, head of the Department for Supervision over Law Enforcement in Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Forestry at the Prosecutor General's Office, confirmed that two individuals died due to the incident.