- A 27-year-old Indian man died in a gas cylinder explosion in Dubai’s car showroom
- Shijin Paul was a multimedia marketing specialist working on Sheikh Zayed Road
- Five others were injured, and Paul died during hospital treatment from his injuries
A 27-year-old Indian man was killed in a gas cylinder explosion at a car showroom in Dubai this week. Shijin Paul, a resident of Kottarakkara in Kerala's Kollam district, was a multimedia marketing specialist and was in charge of social media and videography at the showroom located on Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road, according to a report by Gulf News.
According to the report, five other people were also injured in the explosion that killed Paul. His family said Paul succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a hospital. He is survived by his parents and wife.
The Indian consulate in Dubai confirmed Paul's death and said it was in touch with his family and local authorities to facilitate the repatriation of his remains, the report said.
Moments Before Death
Paul had joined the company in November. His colleague Abid, an eyewitness to the tragedy, told the Gulf News that he and his colleagues had first been alerted to a fire on the premises before the explosion occurred.
"Some of us, including Shijin and I, went out of our showroom after some of our colleagues alerted us about a fire. There were people from several shops nearby too, not just from our showroom. Many people came running after spotting the fire," he said.
According to Abid, some people attempted to douse the flames with fire extinguishers before the cylinder exploded.
"I don't know exactly where the cylinder was located. There is a gate in one corner of the showroom, and the fire started somewhere there. There are some auto service companies next to our showroom, and the fire was near their location," he said.
"People were trying to put out the fire with fire extinguishers. The explosion took place while efforts were on to douse the fire. Everyone ran away," he added.
Family Man
In the confusion that followed, Abid said though he was standing near Paul, he realised much later that his colleague had been caught in the blast. Remembering Paul, he described him as a dependable presence in their small team.
Paul's former roommate, Nasir, said the Kerala man was planning to bring his wife and child to Dubai when he went on his first vacation back home.
The incident comes amid concerns over the safety of Indian workers in the Gulf, where nearly three Indians died every week in workplace accidents between 2023 and 2025, according to Indian government data.
According to data shared by India's Ministry of External Affairs, more than 800 Indian nationals died in workplace accidents abroad between 2023 and 2025, with about 55 per cent of the fatalities occurring in Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of deaths at 182 during the three-year period, followed by the UAE with 128 fatalities.
