Indian Expat Killed in Gas Cylinder Explosion at Dubai Car Showroom

DUBAI, Aug 5: An Indian expatriate from Kerala was killed in a gas cylinder explosion at a car showroom in Dubai, according to media reports. The deceased has been identified as Shijin Paul (27), a native of Kollam district in Kerala. The explosion occurred on Monday at a car showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road, where he was employed as a social media manager. According to the Dubai Media Office, one person was killed and five others sustained injuries in the blast. The Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed Paul’s death on Tuesday and said it was coordinating with his family and local authorities to facilitate the repatriation of his mortal remains. A colleague who witnessed the incident said employees rushed out after noticing a fire, while some attempted to extinguish the flames using fire extinguishers before the gas cylinder exploded. The incident has once again drawn attention to the safety of Indian workers in Gulf countries. According to data from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, more than 800 Indian nationals died in workplace accidents abroad between 2023 and 2025, with around 55 per cent of the fatalities reported from Gulf nations. Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of workplace deaths among Indian nationals during the three-year period with 182 fatalities, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 128 deaths, the data showed.