UAE: 2 killed, 3 injured in fuel tank explosion in Ajman

Police say sparks from welding works on petroleum derivatives tank caused the blast

Ajman: Two people were killed and three injured after a petroleum derivatives fuel tank exploded at a factory of a fuel trading company in Al Jurf Industrial Area in Ajman today morning, police said.

Major General Sheikh Sultan bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Commander-in-Chief of Ajman Police, said the police operations room received a report at 11am stating that an explosion had occurred in a "diesel tank".

Upon arrival to the site, officials found out that two workers had carried out welding work on top of the tank, which led to its explosion as a result of sparks flying into the tank. The blast resulted in the death of two workers of Asian nationality and the injury of three others, also of Asian nationality, due to flying fragments of the exploded tank cover.

Maj Gen Al Nuaimi said the explosion was due to noncompliance with security and safety requirements and the lack of the necessary licenses from the Civil Defence to secure this type of facility that deals with fuel and petroleum derivatives.

The National Ambulance, Civil Defence and traffic patrols were called in to take necessary measures and transfer those affected by the incident to hospital.