Dubai: While the report of investigation into the cause of the blast in an apartment in Dubai’s Al Khail Gate community on Wednesday is awaited, a cooking gas leakage is suspected to have caused it rather than a gas cylinder explosion.
Husain Lokhandwala, the husband of the injured Mariam Gandhi, yesterday confirmed to Gulf News that the family did not keep two gas cylinders and the cylinder in their possession was the one found intact after the blast.
Additionally, an Indian neighbour, who was the first to reach the victims after the incident, said Mariam told him there was a gas leakage.
“I don’t remember what exactly she said. I think she said the mother left the gas stove open for a while and was late to light it. But I don’t know if that can create such a huge blast,” he told Gulf News on the condition of anonymity.
He said the washing machine and fridge also had caught fire.
“I used the fire extinguisher there to put it out,” said the man who later called two other neighbours for help before the first responders reached the spot.
What the expert says
A Dubai-based expert from the gas industry explained that an explosion due to cooking gas leakage can occur when a substantial amount of gas released into the atmosphere is lit.
“When gas leaks and spreads to a certain level and when a flame, a lighter or electric spark is lit [in that atmosphere], the particular cloud of vapour catches fire. Whatever is inflammable within the range of that cloud of gas also will catch fire. Because of a sudden drop in pressure, an explosion could occur, especially in a confined area,” he said.
“There has to be a substantial amount of gas let out to cause such a huge explosion. So it is possible that they had forgotten to shut off the gas for a long time. That the odour was not detected by them surprises me because the smell could be very strong.”
For a gas cylinder to explode, the expert said, there should be additional pressure or exposure to a direct source of extreme heat such as a fire.
