Oman gas blast victims confirmed as Kerala couple from Kannur

Muscat: A tragic gas cylinder explosion at a restaurant in Oman's Bousher District claimed the lives of an Indian couple from Kerala on Saturday morning.

The victims — 59-year-old Pankajakshan and his wife, 53-year-old Shajitha— were long-time residents of Oman, having lived in the Sultanate for over 30 years.

Both hailed from Kannur district in southern India and worked as accountants in a private company in Muscat.

The explosion, suspected to have been caused by a gas leak in the restaurant’s kitchen, led to a partial collapse of the residential-commercial building where the couple lived. They were residing in an apartment directly above the restaurant.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the blast. Preliminary findings suggest a momentary leak of cooking gas triggered the explosion, resulting in fatal structural damage.

Civil Defence Authority teams responded quickly, evacuating the building, securing the site, and providing emergency medical care. However, the couple could not be saved.

Santhosh Kumar, Community Welfare Secretary of the Indian Social Club in Oman, told Gulf News: “We are coordinating with authorities to complete formalities and repatriate their bodies to India within two to three days. Their daughter, who is studying in Chennai, has been informed and will arrive in Muscat on Sunday evening.”

The Indian community in Oman is mourning the loss of the couple, remembered as warm and kind-hearted individuals.

-- Fahad Al Mukrashi is a freelance journalist based in Muscat