UAE winter: Police warn of house fire, suffocation risks with heater use

As winter begins in earnest and temperatures drop in the UAE, Abu Dhabi authorities have issued a warning regarding firewood and heating devices in the interest of public safety.

The Abu Dhabi Police and the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority called on the public to follow safety guidelines when using firewood or other heating methods in order to maintain safety and prevent misuse.

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There are potential risks in using any heater — whether charcoal and firewood-powered or electric. The consequences of improper usage are dire, as it can lead to house fires or suffocation.

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Residents are warned against doing the following:

• Lighting fires using firewood or charcoal inside the home

• Sleeping next to a firewood heater

• Not maintaining proper ventilation by providing special exhausts for the smoke from firewood to escape upwards when the wood is lit outdoors

• Leaving the firewood lit and not extinguishing it outside the home

• Not ensuring load-bearing capacity and safety in the case of electric heaters

• Placing heater wires under rugs

• Allowing children to play around heaters

• Touching the heater

• Allowing flammable materials to come in contact with the heater

• Using the heater to light incense

• Placing the heater near water or a damp area

• Not turning the heater off when sleeping or leaving the area

On Saturday, December 20, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) recorded the lowest temperature so far this season — a chilly 3.5°C. The reading was taking at Jebel Jais Mountain in Ras Al Khaimah at 12am local time.

This came after days of unstable weather across the country, with heavy rains and thunderstorms causing temperatures to drop and roads and valleys to flood.

Supreeta Balasubramanian

supreeta@khaleejtimes.com