Man dies in gas cylinder explosion at Dubai restaurant

Firefighters responded to the incident shortly after 4.30am on Monday

Firefighters at the scene of a gas cylinder explosion that tore through a restaurant in International City, Dubai. Dubai Civil Defence

A man died after a gas cylinder explosion in a Dubai restaurant.

The incident occurred at about 4.31am on Monday in a four-storey building in the emirate’s International City district.

Firefighters and rescue team members from Nad Al Sheba centre were sent to the scene and evacuated the building.

A Dubai Civil defence spokesman said a gas cylinder explosion in the building’s ground floor caused the fire to erupt.

Cooking gas had leaked in the restaurant and eventually triggered the explosion, causing the blaze, which caused significant damage to the ground level of the building, the official said.

The fire was controlled within 33 minutes and the site was handed to police for further investigation.

The spokesman said the deceased, who was of Asian descent, was in the restaurant at the time of the blast. His age was not disclosed.