Gas cylinder explosion injures woman and daughter in Sharjah

Sharjah, December 21: A gas cylinder exploded at a house in Al Khazamia, resulting in first and second-degree burns to a 36-year-old Iraqi woman and her 12-year-old daughter, as well as head wounds to her seven-year-old son, police said yesterday.

A senior official at Sharjah Police confirmed the accident took place at a traditional Arabic villa and was caused by a gas leak from the pipe, which was connected to the stove.

"The accident was caused due to the leakage of gas from the gas pipeline connected to the stove, which led to a gas explosion," said Colonel Mohammad Habib, an official at Sharjah Police Forensic Laboratory.

"People using gas cylinders must regularly ensure the safety of the gas cylinder pipelines and that they properly close the gas cylinder after using it while ensuring proper ventilation to ensure the formed gas will pass through the air without filling the air with the hazardous gas."

Hazardous mixture

According to Colonel Habib, the blast was most likely caused when the butane gas mixed with oxygen in the air, leading to the formation of a hazardous gas mixture that is highly flammable.

If a spark occurs, it can immediately lead to a massive explosion, resulting in doors and windows being shattered and can cause injuries and burns to anyone nearby.

Giving further details about how to deal with such emergencies, Colonel Habib urged residents to immediately evacuate the premises and if there is a great deal of smoke, residents should crawl out of their homes.

However, if the explosion occurs on the top floor then residents should seek shelter on the roof.

"People should call 998 and inform the civil defence about the exact details of the fire. Residents should remove all further hazards in their home and disconnect the electricity from the main power supply and close the gas valves to prevent further damage," said Colonel Habib.

"People should use fire extinguishers until the civil defence arrives and keep away flammable materials from the fire site."

Fire alarms

Captain Mansour Batti Al Shamsi, Director of the Investigations Department at Buhaira Corniche Police Station, pointed out that construction companies should use a particular type of wood for kitchen doors that is fire resistant, and that residents should install smoke detectors and fire alarms, in addition to regularly checking that are no gas leaks in pipes.