A devastating gas explosion due to a leak from a cooking gas shocked a restaurant in Oman, leading to the collapse of a building and the fatalities of two expatriates. The explosion happened early, sending a shockwave through the surrounding area, and eliciting a swift response from emergency services.
Officials said the explosion was caused by a gas leak in one of the ground-floor restaurants’ kitchen. The intensity of the explosion partly wrecked the building, trapping multiple individuals under the wreckage. Rescue workers moved to the scene and were able to rescue survivors, but two foreign nationals were confirmed dead at the scene.
Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority officials worked quickly to cordon off the area and cut off further danger. Firefighters fought small fires ignited by the blast, and medical personnel took the wounded and drove them to hospitals in the vicinity for additional treatment.
The accident has drawn demands for enhanced safety controls and regular checks in commercial premises. Authorities have opened a complete inquiry to establish whether or not negligence or defective machinery was responsible, and encouraged companies to follow fire safety and gas handling guidelines to ensure such disasters do not recur in the future.
