Health Authorities say people storing fuel at home amidst the prevailing crisis has resulted in an increase in fuel-related accidents.
Addressing media, Consultant Plastic Surgeon of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Dr. Gayan Munasinghe said as a result the country is facing a dangerous situation with reports of fires and other fuel-related accidents.
Dr. Gayan Munasinghe said it is dangerous to store fuel like petrol, as houses are not equipped for fuel storage and are not filling stations.
He went on to highlight the stringency of the safety measures taken by filling stations and fuel storages.
Dr. Munasinghe said as a result of the vaporisation of petrol, a simple incident like igniting a gas cooker, lighting a match or switching on a light bulb could result in the house catching fire.
He added during the past few days several houses caught fire while there was an increase in deaths attributed to fuel related accidents.
Dr. Munasinghe presented the statistics from the NHSL adding only one or two petrol related burn patients were admitted to the NHSL daily until January while at present four to six patients are being admitted to the National Hospital.
He called the increase dangerous with around 20% of admissions fatal.
He said a minor burn could also prove fatal if the individual suffers from non-communicable diseases such as diabetes or underlying heart conditions, stating patients above the age of 60 are particularly at risk.
He added a small burn could get infected and be fatal, if not immediately, within two to three months.
