Call for increased security at gas stations amid heatwave

The president of the syndicate of gas station owners in Lebanon, Georges Brax, issued a statement Monday outlining a series of measures to be followed to strengthen public safety around gas pumps across the country, which has been experiencing a heatwave since the end of last week.

The statement aimed to "ensure safety and prevent any accident or fire, as well as to protect customers and employees, especially in these days when temperatures are exceeding 40 degrees." It reiterated the "strict ban on smoking inside the station at any time" and advised people to avoid using mobile phones, as well as highlighted the importance of turning off the engine during refueling and not filling fuel in jerry cans. Brax also called for ensuring that stations are equipped with fire extinguishers and that staff are trained to use them.

The syndicate stated that extreme caution must be exercised in the event of welding or electrical work and that the proper functioning of generators should be monitored "to avoid any overheating, accident or fire." Brax also urged stations to be careful not to waste water.

Several gas station fires have already occurred this year. In June, one fire claimed a life at a gas station in Hadath, in Beirut's southern suburbs. Others have happened in recent months, notably in the Sin al-Fil neighborhood of Beirut, in Abdeh (Akkar), and more recently in Hermel (Bekaa), where an explosion killed three children.