Akhaltsikhe Population Demands to Remove Petrol Stations from their Town

On September 13, petrol station”Saba Ltd” in Abastumani Crossroad in Akhaltsikhe blew up. Five people were in the building during the accident. Four of them, Oleg Tateshvili, owner of the station, his pregnant daughter, little grandchild and employee died. The fifth injured person was taken to the hospital and placed in Reanimation Department. The explosion bred fear in the population. People live in panic and demand to remove petrol stations from the town.

The explosion of the petrol station damaged the buildings nearby where shops were located. Consequently, the place is always crowded.  

“If explosion had not happened in the evening, many people would have been injured,” said Shalva Gogoladze, a resident of Akhaltsikhe.

There are several other petrol stations close to the exploded one. Besides that, there are residential buildings in the area and local inhabitants are panicked because of the accident.

“We are very scared since the explosion. Children have to pass by nearly ten petrol stations on their way from school. How could I imagine that Tateshvili’s petrol station could blow up? I am very afraid,” said Lamara Zedgenidze.

“People have not just started to speak about the problem. They began to complain about the petrol stations several years ago but the government never paid attention to them,” said Mamuka Beridze, a resident of Akhaltsikhe.

“How can petrol station be opened in front of the eight-storied residential building? Did the builder or the person who passed permit on the construction have brain? So many people live in danger,” said Ineza Kapanadze in anxiety.

On the next day after the accident the Prime Minister made a statement on TV regarding the fact and ordered the corresponding bodies to raid and control petrol stations.

Population claims that the statement of the Prime-Minister will have no positive output.

“Does it need any particular raid when everybody can see petrol stations in the town center? They simply must come and close them down. The owners of petrol stations are rich and influential people; so Nogaideli’s order will be neutralized by their money,” said a resident of Akhaltsikhe who preferred to stay anonymous. She also told us that petrol stations are mostly located close to Railway Station. A sparkle and fire might go along rails and whole Akhaltsikhe district with its villages will be blown up. You cannot imagine how much danger we live in,” she said.

On September 20 experts arrived in Akhaltsikhe to raid petrol stations. “We will tell you everything in a week,” it was their short comment.

In seven days it will become clear whether local people’s prediction comes true and they will have to live on bomb in future too.

Gulo Kokhodze, Akhaltsikhe