Head and Employees of Gas Company Sentenced to Seven Years Over Deadly Explosion That Killed a Family

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Samarkand City Criminal Court, chaired by Zarifa Akhmedova, has sentenced the head and three employees of the Samarkand branch of Hududgaz to seven years in prison over a gas explosion that killed seven members of a single family, including three young children, Zamon TV program on Sevimli reported.

Initially, the Emergency Situations Ministry reported six fatalities.

The explosion occurred on 9 May, completely destroying a three-story residential building housing several families and damaging nearby structures.

Residents of the building had reported the smell of gas 11 times to the gas service, but no action was taken by responsible staff.

According to the nine-volume case file, in September–October 2024, gasification works were carried out on Spitamen Street without project documentation or required technical permits.

The pipeline was laid in violation of safety regulations — without laboratory inspection or protective coating, under a roadway, using hired workers, and was illegally connected to the existing network. Leaks from seven holes in the pipeline allowed natural gas to seep into the central sewer well and then into the house.

The court found the defendants guilty under paragraphs “a” and “b” of Part 4, Article 116 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code — negligent performance of professional duties resulting in loss of life and other grave consequences.

They were sentenced to seven years in prison and banned from holding managerial or financially responsible positions in state-affiliated organizations for three years.

Additionally, the court ordered Hududgaz Samarkand to pay nearly 6 billion soums in compensation to the victims’ families.