>> Gas explosion kills two children in Hanoi
A man who used to work as a cooking gas salesman revealed shocking truths about the industry after the recent explosion claimed two lives.
Old and dangerous gas canisters reused
The anonymous man worked for nine gas shops in Hanoi between 2009 and 2010, where he learned the tricks of the trade.
Illegal gas refilling
According to him, “All nine gas retailers I worked for used emptied gas cans with quality-name brands and refilled them with other different gas of less quality. By doing this, they increased profit by VND30,000 to VND50,000 per can."
Retailers also played a role in this process. They sold the reused gas cans as if they were new, and did not ask any questions about authenticity.
These violations of regulations on the gas industry have been blamed for endangering customers.
Retailers add to dangers
The anonymous man said that there are several tricks that can be used to deceive unknowing customers. Sometimes the cans are intentionally punctured, so that they can sell new equipment at exorbitant prices, thereby earning a commission.
Another thing that\'s often done, he said, was for salesmen to take cooking devices to specific repair shops, which don\'t repair the equipment, instead, they damage equipment. Sometimes they even disable the automatic switching mechanism that turns off the gas, which can be very dangerous for users.
Other dangers in the trade include untrained staff and dangerous transportation. Unfortunately, the consequences of this have led to actual harm to customers.
He added that “Most of gas retailers do not provide their customers with the necessary instructions on how to use the product."
Gas Industry Currently there is a network of agents, wholesalers and retailers, who deliver cooking gas to their clients. The interests of both can often supersede the interests of the client, causing misrepresentations, and even serious damage. Local task forces said that counterfeit gas accounts for 30% of the total volume being sold in Vietnam.
