Oak Park, Ill. (July 22, 2024) -- To honor the one year anniversary of the deadly natural gas explosion at an Oak Park apartment building and help educate and keep residents safe, Illinois State Representative Camille Lilly (D) and other safety advocates including DeNova Detect, the Lisle, Illinois based leading manufacturer of natural gas alarms, is holding a safety education event and giving away 100 natural gas alarm to Oak Park seniors at the Community Recreation Center on Madison Street. They are also calling on Illinois lawmakers to pass the Fuel Gas Detector Act requiring natural gas alarms in Illinois homes just as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are required.
“Natural gas explosions usually occur without any warning signs and natural gas alarms can detect gas leaks before tragedies like the one we experienced in our community just a year ago,” Representative Lilly said. “I believe Illinois should look at legislation similar to New York City’s law that requires natural gas alarms in homes as an important safety measure. Natural gas alarms are needed everywhere but especially in urban areas where an explosion in one apartment or house can impact an entire building and neighborhood.”
The July 26, 2023 explosion in Oak Park killed 64-year-old David Rechs and displaced 12 residents from their homes. Tragically, another Oak Park family lost a loved one in 2022 from an explosion at a vacation home in Michigan. Robert A. Mangus was killed in an explosion in Harbor Springs, Michigan on January 18, 2022. His wife, kids and grandkids narrowly escaped the explosion, leaving just the day before.
“When my father died in a natural gas explosion, we did not know natural gas alarms even existed” Katie Moody said. “If we had known and had one in my parent’s home, he would be with us today. Every home should have natural gas alarms just like they have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.”
According to news reports, in the past five years, 28 natural gas explosions have occurred in Illinois, killing 12 people, most in the Chicago area. Illinois is second only to New York when it comes to natural gas explosions.
“We are happy to donate our natural gas alarms to Oak Park senior citizens. Tragedies like the one that occurred here last summer are completely preventable with early natural gas detection. We want people to know about the lifesaving protection natural gas alarms provide,” Julie Harris, education director with DeNova Detect said. “With proper placement on the wall near the ceiling, our 10-year battery operated alarms provide an early warning 11 minutes faster on average than any other alarm and have a zero rate of false alarms.”
Natural gas explosions continue to rise across the country. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 4,200 home fires are ignited by a natural gas source annually. Additionally, a new natural gas explosion occurs every 40 hours and approximately 300 natural gas explosions occur each year, causing deaths, injuries and property damage. Since 2010, devastating gas leak incidents have resulted in 219 fatalities and more than 1,000 injuries.
Illinois is one of seven states that has pending legislation that would require natural gas alarms in homes. In 2022, Maine became the first state to require them. New York City passed a law in March, 2024 that requires them. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York state, North Carolina and Tennessee also have legislation pending.
About New Cosmos USA, Inc.
New Cosmos Electric, a leading global supplier of natural gas alarms for more than 60 years, formed a wholly owned subsidiary, New Cosmos USA, Inc., in 2018. New Cosmos USA is headquartered in the Chicago area and has developed the DeNova Detect brand to provide gas alarms to some of the largest utility companies in the U.S. as well as commercial and residential customers. With more than 70 million residential gas alarms sold worldwide, and the developer of the first-ever residential natural gas alarm, New Cosmos remains committed to delivering cutting-edge safety solutions to customers globally to protect what matters most.
Source: Patch.com
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