Barbecue, heating rule in UAE: Abu Dhabi Police warn residents

Dubai: Do not burn wood and charcoal in an enclosed spaces in your houses as it is a threat to your safety, warned Abu Dhabi Police.

As the UAE is experiencing rain and considerable drop in temperature, the police have warned the residents through social media againstburningg of wood and charcoal indoors.

Temperature drops to minus one degree Celsius on Jebel Jais mountain in Ras Al Khaimah whersnowfallal was also reported. Burning coal inside the home for the purposes of heating or cooking such as barbecue produces particulate and gas emissions that may contain a number of harmful chemicals, such as benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. According to doctors, lung cancer is associated more with exposure to indoor coal combustion emissions.

Also, burning of charcoal indoors can be life threatening as carbon monoxide which is a colourlesodourlessess gas, is highly toxic and can be fatal even in low concentrations when present in a confined space.

Burning wood or charcoal indoors without proper ventilation causes the gas to build up, leaving occupants vulnerable to suffocation and other severe complications including permanent brain injury or death.

As the charcoal burns, the amount of carbon monoxide in the room gradually increaes - without the occupants of the room being able to detect it. As it is inhaled, carbon monoxide attaches to haemoglobinobin in the blood preventing it from being able to carry oxygen.

Many items you might innocently pop into the fireplace also create serious hazards.