Dubai: Woman, dog die in villa after tenant turns on generator

A woman and her dog were found dead in a villa in Al Barsha after inhaling carbon monoxide, Dubai Police said.

The victim was living in a rented out portion of a larger villa, which was meant to accommodate a single family.

"A report was received by the Operations Room in Al Barsha about the killing of a woman and her dog and the injury of her Filipino friend, and that they live in a small part of one of the villas rented by an Asian person, and there is more than one family in the villa," Colonel Makki Salman Ahmed Salman, Director of the Crime Scene Department said.

The victim's friend said that she suspected food poisoning from a place they ate the previous night. The dog had also been fed the same food.

However, further investigations revealed that it wasn't the cause of death. Forensic reports said that the inhalation of carbon monoxide paralysed caused their demise.

The police later found a covered electric generator used by the main tenant. The generator was being used after authorities cut off the electricity of the house as more than one family was living in the villa.

When the police turned on the generator, smoke filled the hallways and rooms within minutes.

Salman warned residents of failing to adhere to health and safety procedures for generators. He urged them to take caution and inspect devices that work inside the house, such as generators, and maintain them periodically.