Gas company employees detained following explosion in Samarkand that killed 7

In Samarkand city, Samarkand region, the head of the local gas company and three of his employees have been sentenced to seven years in prison following an explosion that killed seven members of a single family, Zamon reported.

According to reports, before the explosion, the family repeatedly complained, 11 times in total, about the smell of gas in their home. However, the company’s responsible employees neglected these warnings, and no measures were taken before the fatal incident.

Court documents reveal that in September–October 2024, gas works were carried out around Spitamen street and House 160 without proper project planning or technical approvals. Unauthorized contractors illegally installed a gas pipeline under a road. The pipeline was laid underground without safety coatings or required certifications and was illegally connected to the network. As a result, seven leaks developed in the pipeline, allowing natural gas to seep into the central sewage well, ultimately leading to the deadly explosion.

Following a deadly explosion in Samarkand, the head of the city branch of ’’Hududgaz Samarkand’’ and three employees have been found guilty under Article 116, part 4 (a, b) of the Criminal Code, which addresses failure to perform official duties properly. They were sentenced to seven years in prison and barred for three years from holding managerial or financially responsible positions in state-owned enterprises and organizations.

Additionally, the court ordered the gas supply company to pay nearly 6 billion soums in compensation to the victims of the explosion.

The tragic incident occurred on the night of May 9 this year in a house located on Spitamen street in the Bogisaroy neighborhood of Samarkand. The kinetic force generated by the blast caused the reinforced concrete structure of the house to collapse, damaging the first, second, and third floors, as well as the basement. No fire broke out. Bodies were recovered from the debris.