For the second time in two years, the town of Ciney is faced with a gas leak linked to a road accident on a box. Why are these boxes sometimes placed near the roadway?
More fear than harm in the residential area of rue de l’Ermitage, in the center of Ciney. This Monday, November 4, a gas box was hit and torn by a vehicle causing a major gas leak. The leak was brought under control in time. No casualties have been reported.
Two accidents in two years
In the space of two years, the town of Ciney has experienced two such accidents. That of this Monday was not serious, but in February 2022, the gas leak caused an explosion and caused the death of one person.
Should these boxes, potential sources of danger, be placed outside, in front of homes, and often near the roadway? Frédéric Boogaerts is spokesperson for Ores, distribution network manager in Wallonia:
Legislation prohibits the arrival of gas at medium pressure inside a home for safety reasons. If the gas rushes into a home, a pocket is formed with a higher risk of flammability and explosion. Reason why the boxes are placed outside. We are obliged, by the technical regulations, to place the box at the closest distance from the meter. All to avoid having endless conduits. There are therefore a whole technical regulation which effectively requires that these boxes be placed where they are.
Should we secure the boxes more?
So, couldn’t municipalities make the boxes more secure along the roadways? Frédéric Deville, mayor of Ciney:
By definition, the boxes are already secure since there are two closing valves, one in the box and one near the box. That said, at the red light in the center of Ciney, in agreement with the SPW, we have placed barriers to protect the few meters located in this more accident-prone area. Unfortunately, zero risk does not exist.
Ciney is not the only city to experience this type of situation. Road accidents where a gas box is damaged or even torn are quite regular in Belgium and elsewhere.
