Oro city officials warn against LPG-refilled butane canisters

By Lito Rulona
Correspondent .

City Hall’s Price Coordinating Council (CPPC) and the Regulatory and Complaint Board (RCB) has warned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) suppliers in the city to stop refilling butane canisters with LPG and not be sold in the city because it is illegal.

This after that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) disclosed that the death of 64-year-old Bomediano Ramoga, a person with disability, and his 11-year-old grandchild Chester Ramoga, an elementary grader at the Canitoan Elementary School could have been died due to the storage and selling of Butane Canisters.

Cagayan de Oro fire marshal Allan Gabot said the death of the two victims could have been triggered due to the presence of several unsold single Butane Canisters inside their own sari-sari stores. 

“There could have been leakage on the products that triggered the explosion and the immediate spread of fire that gutted down the Ramoga’s residence. Pagamay-gamay lang kini pero tungod kay medyo ubay-ubay ang ilang stock sa sulod mao to nga dako dako gyud ang miboto,” he said.

CPCC and RCB chairman Atty. Egay Uy said they will look into implementation of immediate confiscation on the illegal selling of Butane Canisters in sari-sari stores in urban and rural barangays.

“Also illegal is the use of refilling of Butane canisters which is reportedly sold to public for supposedly outdoor and camping stoves. Ang refilling naman gud ani kay ang gi-refill is Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) which is also illegal,” he added.

Uy said from the original use of Butane canisters and re-filled by LPG is no longer safe for public use.

“The use of Butane canisters is being regulated by the Department of Energy (DOE) and possible confiscation of illegally sold and the retail of such products. The implementation can be assisted by the local law enforcement units. However, no local ordinance was yet passed as basis for the local implementing body to follow,” he said.

Last year, DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has issued warning to the public on the emergence of illegally LPG-refilled butane canisters that circulate and sold to provincial markets.