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THE death of an elderly caretaker of an association four days after a gas explosion at the Geylang premises last April was an accident, a coroner found on Friday.
State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of misadventure on the death of Mr Tan Jwee Kong, 72, who died of severe burns on April 13 last year.
The flash fire occurred at the first level stairwell of the seven-storey building housing Teo Ann Huay Kuan at Lorong 8 Geylang on April 9.
Mr Tan's colleague, Madam Koh Bee Lian, 45, a cleaner, had detected a gas smell coming from the stairwell that morning when she reported for work.
She walked closer to the door of the stairwell which led to Mr Tan's makeshift cooking area. The door was locked and there were no ventilation openings other than the doors at each level which were closed.
When she told Mr Tan about the strong smell of gas coming from the stairwell, he unlocked the door and said there was no smell.
He insisted there was no smell even though Madam Koh told him a second time. She then saw him turn on the stove by turning one of the knobs.
There was a flash fire from the stove and both were burnt.
She is still on medical leave after suffering 35 per cent burns on her body, hands and legs.
The court also heard that the cut on the tubing attached to the stove was a fracture due to aging and stress.
The Malaysian-made gas regulator had no safety feature which could have prevented liquefied gases from leaking into the environment unlike a Spring-certified one.
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