Many people have cautioned about just this sort of terrible accident — with the cold weather and energy shortages in Andijan, an explosion has occurred in an apartment building, fergananews.com reports. At least two people have been killed and there have been more injuries, along with the destruction of several multi-storey dwellings.

Precisely because there have been constant electricity blackouts, gas turn-offs, and shortage of fuel, people have been bringing gas balloni (cannisters) into their homes to cook (which you can see for sale or wanted on sites like torg.uz).

Fergananews.com has been warning that because of the gas shortage and low pressure in the gas system, people have been resorting to all sorts of dangerous makeshift methods to keep warm and cook their food. The fuel crisis and the risky behaviour both have led to tragedies — a newborn died in a hospital from doctors' neglect where the lights were shut off; a  7-month infant froze to death in his cradle at night in a home without heat or light; a 17-year-old died of gas poisoning.

The reasons for this shortage are complex, and have to do with everything from antequated systems and equipment to theft and siphoning off of resources, to resale of gas abroad for foreign currency.