A family from Tajikistan has died from domestic gas poisoning in the Russian city of Samara. The incident occurred on January 7, but relatives learned of the tragedy only a day later, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported, citing a close friend of the family.
According to the source, relatives in Tajikistan had been unable to reach the family for an extended period. Concerned relatives living in Samara later went to the apartment and, after forcing the door open, discovered the bodies.
Reports indicate that the woman was pregnant. All of the deceased were residents of the city of Bokhtar, the capital of Khatlon province. On January 11, their bodies were sent to Tajikistan for burial.
Relatives also said the family had previously suffered a tragedy. Last year, a fire in their Samara apartment claimed the life of their three-year-old son. Following that incident, the woman reportedly urged her husband several times to return to Tajikistan.
It is known that the family had purchased an apartment in a multi-story building in Bokhtar and was waiting for renovation work to be completed before permanently relocating to Tajikistan.
The incident has once again drawn attention to safety concerns related to home heating. With the onset of cold weather, residents of Tajikistan—particularly in rural areas—often rely on coal to heat their homes, frequently neglecting safety regulations.
In early December last year, a young couple died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the Rasht district of Tajikistan, in the village of Kulobai, Qalai Surkh jamoat. The couple, married just two months earlier, lit a coal stove overnight to heat their home. They were found unconscious the next morning and rushed to hospital but died en route. The man was 25 years old, and his wife was 18.
