Dubai: A five-year-old Emirati boy was killed in a freak accident after the front gate of his neighbour’s home fell, crushing him to death.
The tragic accident took place last Saturday in the residential area of Al Barsha.
Brigadier Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Director General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Dubai Police, said that the toddler sustained serious injuries and died later in hospital.
According to police records, the victim was playing with four other children in the neighbour’s backyard, and were clinging to a part of the gate, which works by remote control.
“The iron gate was unable to hold the weight of the children and as the hinges unscrewed, it fell on top of one of the children,” said Brig Al Mansouri, who was quoted in Arabic media reports.
The victim was immediately transferred to Saudi German Hospital for treatment, but had later succumbed to his fatal wounds.
Brig Al Mansouri urged the public to carry out regular maintenance on these types of gates and to ensure that they are always screwed tightly to the wall.
“The bad weather and humidity reduces the lifespan of such gates, and that is why families should always hire specialised companies to carry out the necessary maintenance,” he said.
