Man dies as flat catches fire from cigarette he lit

The deceased, identified as Rahul Parappy, a resident of Al Wasl building in Al Muhaisnah 4, died due to smoke inhalation, according to the Dubai Police.

Dubai — A cigarette lit in a drunken stupor is believed to have caused a fire in a Dubai apartment that killed its lone occupant, a 39-year-old Indian national, on Friday night. Preliminary investigations carried out by the Dubai Police and the Civil Defence showed that the deceased had consumed alcohol — as evident from bottles and glasses found near his body — and lit a cigarette, which is believed to have caused the fire that gutted his apartment.

The deceased, identified as Rahul Parappy, a resident of Al Wasl building in Al Muhaisnah 4, died due to smoke inhalation, according to the Dubai Police.

The operations room of the Dubai Civil Defence was notified about the fire at 10.31pm by residents after they saw heavy black smoke billowing from the building.

The five-storey building was evacuated after fire brigades from Al Qusais rushed to the site. The fire had broken out in flat number 105 on the first floor. On finding the door locked from inside, firefighters smashed it open and found that the blaze had spread to the apartment’s hall. They managed to bring the fire under control and prevented it from spreading to other apartments.

The rescue teams found the body in the room.

Rahul, who hails from Kannur, Kerala, had been living in Dubai for the last 16 years and ran an electronics business. He was a divorcee and had a  8-year-old daughter. He remarried a few years ago, from which he has a two-and-a-half years old son. He suffered from “slight depression” due to family problems, according to relatives.

Khaleej Times managed to speak to Rahul’s brother, Renjith Parappy, who is back home in Kannur. “Rahul was mildly upset due to family problems, but other than that, he was not facing any problems.

“I live two buildings away from his and he was with us in Kerala till Thursday morning. He left before us since he had to take care of his business. He had come to Kerala to sort out matters at a school he used to run here in Kannur,” said the grief-stricken Renjith. Their mother was staying with Rahul till January, when she left to seek treatment for pain in her knees.

“We’ve suffered a huge loss,” said Renjith.

Rahul’s neighbours said he was “very reserved” and seldom interacted with them.

The body has been sent to the General Department of Forensic Medicine and will be handed over to the family after legal and administrative procedures are completed.

amira@khaleejtimes.com

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com 

• UAE