The owners of the café where an explosion occurred on January 9 used a gas cylinder to prepare food illegally and in breach of the norms. In a special meeting cantering on the issue, Mayor General of Chisinau municipality Dorin Chirtoaca said the use of gas cylinders in public places is banned and those who do it expose the people to dangers. In the January 9 blast, 13 persons suffered burns. Three of them are in a critical condition and were transported to Romania for treatment after being examined by Romanian doctors, IPN reports.

Dorin Chirtoaca said the economic entities are informed about the fact that the use of gas cylinders to prepare food is public eateries is not allowed. “A similar blast occurred in 2008, but some didn’t learn the lesson. This decision was taken by the economic entity with the aim of making a higher profit. The gas cylinders must be placed outside and must be enclosed in a special metallic box, at a distance of at least 6 meters from the stove,” he stated.

According to the mayor, when the given café was issued with an authorization for working, there were envisioned electrical installations for cooking, not gas cylinders. “Now we discovered that the use of gas cylinders is possible and is not regulated somehow. Thus, we are exposed to dangers almost everywhere. Only the economic entities are banned from using them, not yet the households,” stated Dorin Chirtoaca, noting that the competent authorities neglect this area.

The mayor noted that the district head’s offices will examine the apartment buildings and will suggest solutions for avoiding such situations in blocks.

The Chisinau Prosecutor’s Office started two criminal cases over violation of the labor protection rules and serious injury caused to persons out of imprudence. The managers of the café where the explosion happened, who are husband and wife, are investigated as suspects and were remanded in custody for 72 hours initially.