A BAHRAIN woman was killed after a gas cylinder exploded as she was cooking lunch yesterday.
Siddiqa Abdulsadiq Al Ameer was alone in a makeshift kitchen on the roof of her home in West Eker when it happened.
A gas leak is thought to have caused the tragedy, which happened at around 2pm, causing the roof of the temporary structure to collapse on her.
“The rooftop collapsed and the woman was trapped under the debris,” sources told the GDN.
Ms Al Ameera’s relatives were not available for comment, but neighbours last night spoke of their shock at the tragedy.
“I came home for lunch when I heard a loud sound,” said one, who declined to be named.
“I immediately rushed out of home and tried to find out what had happened.
“I went to the next lane and saw a man standing outside the house.
“I asked him what happened and he just pointed at the rooftop of that house and started asking others for help.
“In a few minutes, all the villagers gathered but no-one could enter or help, as the rooftop collapsed and Ms Al Ameera was under the debris.”
A top Civil Defence official said the fire could have been prevented if the Bahraini had followed basic safety procedures.
“The woman died when a cylinder exploded due to leaking gas,” said operations director Colonel Salah Salim.
“It happened because she didn’t check it before cooking.
“According to preliminary reports, she went into the kitchen and all of a sudden the explosion took place.
“The impact was so severe that the rooftop collapsed.
“I think she died due to the explosion and before the collapse.
“The explosion also caused severe damage to the building.”
Colonel Salim said people must ensure all appliances are safe to use.
“We would like to urge housewives and other citizens to check gas appliances before using them,” he said.
“If they smell gas, they need to take immediate action or call for assistance.
“They also need to do regular maintenance and we have been educating people through lectures and workshops.
“An awareness campaign by the Interior Ministry would help in educating these people, which we are already working on.”
aneeqa@gdn.com.bh