The District Prosecutor’s Office in Lubin filed an indictment with the court in June 2026 against 45-year-old Dariusz P. The man will face charges of creating a direct danger of an incident that could have threatened the lives or health of many people and property on a large scale.
The dangerous situation occurred on March 27, 2026, in one of Lubin’s housing estates. Dariusz P. lived in an apartment inherited from his deceased parents. Earlier, he had signed a preliminary agreement to sell the apartment and received money for it.
On March 27, the man turned on all four valves of the gas stove. He also covered the ventilation openings and sealed the windows. He then left the building and went to a hotel, where he rented a room. He left the open valves unsecured.
Gas escaped for around 20 hours. Its smell was clearly noticeable in the stairwell. The neighbors realized that the situation could be serious and notified the relevant services, including the fire department.
According to investigators’ findings, the average gas concentration in the apartment was 6.16 percent. It was at a level that posed an immediate risk of explosion. According to an expert opinion, the potential energy of the explosion would have been equivalent to approximately 90.04 kilograms of TNT.
The consequences of a possible explosion could have been very serious. Not only neighboring apartments and the people inside them would have been at risk, but also people in the stairwell and outside the building. The blast wave could also have damaged the windows of buildings located within a radius of around 30 meters.
There was ultimately no explosion. The residents’ reaction, after they detected the gas and alerted the emergency services, proved crucial.
A gas-industry expert had no doubt that if the gas had continued to escape, an incident with tragic consequences could have occurred. All that would have been needed to trigger an explosion was a source of ignition, even a small electrical spark.
The man was detained on March 27, 2026. He was charged with creating a direct danger of an incident threatening the lives or health of many people and property on a large scale. Dariusz P. admitted to the alleged act and gave an explanation.
Psychiatric experts also gave their opinions in the case. They found that the man was sane at the time of the incident.
Dariusz P. was placed in temporary detention. He had no previous convictions. He is an unmarried man with no children, has a secondary education and worked as a locksmith before his detention. He now faces up to 10 years in prison.
The case will be heard by the District Court in Lubin.