Khaberni - Khaberni - The tragedy of the death of 9 people in two separate incidents in Al-Hashimiya area in Zarqa Governorate due to a gas heater locally known as "shamooseh", has sparked a wide controversy about the responsibility of regulatory and official bodies, primarily the Standards and Metrology Organization, which is administratively and supervisory under the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply.
Amidst widespread public outrage observed by Khaberni, sharp questions have emerged on social media platforms and within media and parliamentary circles about the role of the Standards Organization in testing and certifying this type of heaters, and how their distribution was allowed on a wide scale within the Jordanian market, despite the risks that became apparent after these tragic incidents within less than 24 hours.
Activists and observers, according to Khaberni, have called for an urgent investigation into the entry process of "shamooseh" into the markets, whether locally manufactured or imported, and for the holding accountable of those responsible if any shortcomings in the testing or technical certification processes are proven, asserting that the responsibility extends from the technical bodies all the way to the concerned minister.
According to Jordanian laws, the Minister of Industry is directly responsible for supervising the Standards and Metrology Organization, which is tasked with setting safety standards for equipment and products in the local market, and granting or denying related licenses.
The General Security Directorate has announced the commencement of testing samples of "shamooseh", alongside inventorying them inside markets and factories, and banning their sale until the publication of laboratory results, indicating serious suspicions about their compliance with established safety standards.
Official and public circles are waiting for the results of the technical investigations, amid increasing calls for accountability of all those who fell short in protecting the lives of citizens, and not just settling for belated warnings after the disaster.
