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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A college student tragically lost his life on Monday evening after trying to rescue his cat from the gas explosion in the city of Duhok.
Nihad Ali was one of five people killed when a gas tank on top of a student dormitory exploded in Duhok late on Monday, marking the second gas-related tragedy in the Kurdistan Region within the past week.
When Ali heard the talk about a possible explosion following serious gas leaks, he rushed outside the building but when he remembered that he left his cat - Lulu - behind, he immediately returned inside and minutes later the explosion goes off, killing Ali.
Lulu emerged alive and took shelter in a house next to the collapsed building. The cat sustained light burns on its body. Lulu appears to have been shocked by the powerful explosion, now neither eating nor drinking.
Nihad's friends and relatives took Lulu to Nihad’s grave to bid him a final farewell.
In the dormitory explosion, 34 others were wounded, according to the Kurdistan Region’s health ministry, with most of the casualties being students who resided on the second and third floors of the building. The tank served as the gas system for a bakery on the first floor.
Immediately after the blast, the Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani ordered relevant authorities to “completely” cease the operation of such gas systems, in light of the recent deadly gas-related incidents, and called for a thorough investigation into the phenomenon.
An explosion in a packed house in Sulaimani’s Kaziwa neighborhood last week resulted in the complete collapse of the property, killing 15 people and injuring 12 others. The blast was attributed to a buildup of gas inside the house after the LPG tank leaked.
President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday extended his condolences to the families of the victims in Duhok’s blast, wishing for a speedy recovery for the wounded and expressing their willingness to help the injured in any way possible.
“The repetition of gas explosion incidents is a matter of serious concern and danger and relevant authorities must seriously reflect on this topic as soon as possible and do better jobs at surveilling gas systems and their method of use,” read a statement from President Barzani’s office.
Nihad Ali was one of five people killed when a gas tank on top of a student dormitory exploded in Duhok late on Monday, marking the second gas-related tragedy in the Kurdistan Region within the past week.
When Ali heard the talk about a possible explosion following serious gas leaks, he rushed outside the building but when he remembered that he left his cat - Lulu - behind, he immediately returned inside and minutes later the explosion goes off, killing Ali.
Lulu emerged alive and took shelter in a house next to the collapsed building. The cat sustained light burns on its body. Lulu appears to have been shocked by the powerful explosion, now neither eating nor drinking.
Nihad's friends and relatives took Lulu to Nihad’s grave to bid him a final farewell.
In the dormitory explosion, 34 others were wounded, according to the Kurdistan Region’s health ministry, with most of the casualties being students who resided on the second and third floors of the building. The tank served as the gas system for a bakery on the first floor.
Immediately after the blast, the Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani ordered relevant authorities to “completely” cease the operation of such gas systems, in light of the recent deadly gas-related incidents, and called for a thorough investigation into the phenomenon.
An explosion in a packed house in Sulaimani’s Kaziwa neighborhood last week resulted in the complete collapse of the property, killing 15 people and injuring 12 others. The blast was attributed to a buildup of gas inside the house after the LPG tank leaked.
President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday extended his condolences to the families of the victims in Duhok’s blast, wishing for a speedy recovery for the wounded and expressing their willingness to help the injured in any way possible.
“The repetition of gas explosion incidents is a matter of serious concern and danger and relevant authorities must seriously reflect on this topic as soon as possible and do better jobs at surveilling gas systems and their method of use,” read a statement from President Barzani’s office.
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