Two persons, who have been detained with regard to the explosion caused by natural gas leakage in the Didi Dighomi district of Tbilisi, were charged with neglect of official duties today.

“My clients have been charged under Article 220(1) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, involving the negligence of official duties. Both defendants plead not guilty. They face from 3 to 5 years in prison,” lawyer Tamar Japaridze said.

Police detained employees of the KazTransGas Company - V.M., born in 1957, and T.T., born in 1991, yesterday.

“KazTransGaz specialists – V.M. and T.T. improperly checked the building and told the residents that the smell that they suspected to be of gas was actually of paint. The explosion came a few hours after the specialists left, leaving 4 people dead”, reads a January 18 statement of the Interior Ministry.