Victim of Gas Explosion Pleads for Help

Victim of Gas Explosion Pleads for Help

Nino Gelashvili, a 13 year old girl and her grandmother died in a gas explosion on the 9th of December 2005 in the Gldani district. Another neighbor, Petriashvili, was injured during the incident. Since 2005 the family of the victims pleads for the punishment of the criminal responsible, although nothing has been done to help them. The court freed the criminal, after he paid 50 thousand GEL as a fine.

Eka Petriashvili was living on the 9th floor. The gas exploded on the 8th floor. The investigation stated that the explosion was caused by a gas-pipe which was not installed properly. A representative of the ‘Tbilairservice’ company Guram Makhviladze was arrested.

Petriashvili, one of the victims, talks about the incident: “Tbilaviaservice installed gas pipelines, however they released gas without warning the population. It caused the explosion. I used to live one floor above the apartment which exploded. The floor and the walls were completely destroyed. I could easily see my neighbor’s apartment, living one floor below. My two children were in the house at the moment of explosion. I did not have any place to go and I did not know where to hide. I have not returned home after that accident. With the help of the local administration, we are renting a flat. No one has asked how we were or if we are alive or not.

The case was investigated by David Kajaia from the Prosecutor’s Office. I told to him, that I lost lots of money after the incident and that one of my children now suffers from post traumatic stress. The investigator calmed me down and promised that the Gas Company would reimburse all the money.  After the trauma I went to neuropathologist, but he told me that I was not his patient and sent me to the Psychiatric Hospital”.

Doctors made a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder and Petriashvili was treated for couple of months. She proposed that the investigator add the documents from the hospital to the case notes, however Kajaia refused. “The investigator refused to defend me in the court at the last moment. I submitted an appeal on the 9th of March, demanding material compensation of six hundred dollars and six hundred Georgian Laris to reimburse the cost of my treatment. The hearing was postponed twice. I insisted on a fair trial from Judge Shorena Guntsadze. I also met with the son of Guram Makhviladze, Head of the Gas Company. He told me, that his father had paid money and that he would be released,” says the victim.

On the 15th of June, Guram Makvhiladze was released after paying a fine of 50 thousand GEL. As for Petriashvili she was not even examined as an eye-witness. “They are not reimbursing me for anything. I have sued Judge Shorena Guntsadze in the Council of Justice. Now I am waiting for an answer.”

We contacted every person involved in the case. Zviad Makhviladze refused to comment saying: “Dear, stop it please… Thank you and goodbye…” Investigator Kajaia told us that he cannot change a decision made by the court. “Petriashvili’s demands have been discussed and it is obvious in the case itself. The final decision should be made by the court.”

Although we contacted Judge Shorena Guntsadze for comment several times, she refuses to talk with us.

Eka Gulua