Woman injured in Al Karama gas cylinder blast

Dubai: A gas cylinder explosion injured one person and rattled windows in Al Karama district on a quiet Friday morning, sending people rushing to their balconies to see what happened, residents said.

Police said the explosion was due to a gas leak in an apartment in the new Al Makati Building. The injuries were minor, police said.

The explosion occurred around 10am. "The severity of the explosion could be felt about 50 metres from the building and the glass doors in my balcony rattled," said one resident nearby.

Small fire

People were seen looking curiously from their balconies. The fire department said there was a small fire. According to neighbours, a gas cylinder which was kept on the balcony exploded.

The glass balcony doors of the apartment were shattered as were the glass doors of the apartment next to it. A window of a car parked on the road below the house was cracked, witnesses said.

Police, firefighters and an ambulance arrived at the scene minutes after the blast. A woman who was injured in the blast was taken to the hospital, witnesses said. It was not immediately known if the injured woman was the tenant in the studio apartment.

As summer approaches, the fire department has advised commercial and residential building owners to take basic safety steps. Residents in most buildings complain that the fire exits are usually blocked by trash or discarded trolleys.