Dubai Police warn about carbon monoxide poisoning as 2 maids die

The Dubai Police have issued a fresh safety advisory on the dangers of accidentally inhaling carbon monoxide (CO). The police said two domestic helpers died after inhaling the poisonous gas as they left charcoal burning overnight to heat their room.

It’s not immediately clear when the incident took place, but the police said it happened “recently”.

In 2020, leaving charcoal burning overnight killed two maids. They were found dead by their employer at his villa after the two workers failed to turn up at work.

CO can be produced by burning fuel in appliances such as stoves, ovens, fireplaces, and heating systems.

Butti Ahmed bin Darwish Al Falasi, director of the Security Awareness Department in the General Department of Community Happiness, explained that CO exposures and poisonings occur more often during “summer and winter seasons” due to lack of awareness.

"In summer, the most common way of getting carbon monoxide poisoning is when the AC of an automobile is on while it's idle in a closed garage or space without proper ventilation. During the energy-making process, the vehicle pulls in the air mixed with CO through the AC vents. Then, the automobile's occupants accidentally inhale CO and become weak due to lack of oxygen in their bodies, eventually resulting in death," Al Falasi said.

During winter, people inhale the gas when using gas furnaces and heating appliances in closed places or structures with minimal airflow.

Ibtisam Abd Al Rahman Al Abdouli, poisons senior expert and director of the Specialised Forensic Evidence Department at the General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, said CO is a 'silent killer' because it is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas, and can be accidentally inhaled.

"Some people may experience minor symptoms such as headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting. But when the CO level in the body is high, it could lead to loss of consciousness and eventually death," she explained.

If someone is suspected of having CO poisoning, the first thing to do is get them into an open space with fresh air immediately and call for emergency medical assistance.

Al Abdouli explained that CO is a toxic gas produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels such as gasoline, natural gas, oil, coal, and wood.

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