A resident of Lokbatan, a town in the western suburbs of Baku, died and 80 others were hospitalized in a rare mass gas poisoning yesterday.

The supply of gas to four apartment blocks was cut off at around 1900 local time. When it resumed an hour later, residents reported acute smell of the fuel. 

Natalya Mammadova, 45, died of poisoning. 

Vaqif Namazov, a department head at Azerigaz (Azerbaijan gas), state-owned gas distribution grid, said the poisoning may have been caused by an odorant.

A preliminary investigation showed that the odorant was added to the fuel in excessive volumes, he said.

ANN.Az